Companions of a Kind
by katie's iguana
Summary: in the year 2368 magical planets have reemerged into time space… can five young mages unite to protect the planets against those that wish to use the magic for them selves?
1. Intro

What the first page of every fanfiction should be! This is here so that you, the reader, can have a good idea of weather you will like this fic or not before you waist three hours shifting through it (although if ur like me u'll read it anyway)!  
  
Title: Companions of a Kind  
  
Subject: GundamWing/ Star Track/ Mage crossover (Gundam based more star track stuff than people although they do appear and interact with the characters)  
  
Reality: Alternate Universe (Neutral Zone space & medieval magical planets)  
  
Parings: 1x2 3x4 no dominance  
  
Warnings: Occasional foul language and violence, nothing worse than the actual anime oh except the next part - yaoi, lime (light kissing)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own GundamWing or Star Track... but I do own rights to the OC Cassandra and the form of staff magic that the characters use.  
  
Summery: thousands of years ago magical humans left time space but a war between them has split there planet into five different ones and now in the year 2368 those planets have re immerged into time space... can five young mages unite/protect the planets against those that wish to use the magic for them selves?  
  
OC information: I know everyone hates original characters but she has a really small roll, all she all she does in gather Heero, who then finds all the other g-boys. Then she disappears except to help me with some plots stuff, create reasons for Quatre and Trowa to have lovydovy scenes and help me created more tension in Heero and Duo's relations ship. She barely interacts with the characters I promise!!!!!!  
  
Chapters: 12/?  
  
Words: 42,827 so far  
  
Completion: No  
  
Beta Reader: Anime Girl8. Thanks so much!  
  
Feed back: Always appreciated! But I will post weather people review/email or not. I read without reviewing so I won't blame anyone. Anonymous Reviewers now accepted!  
  
Updates: Once a week (Thursdays) 


	2. Heero

"Main Map," Cassandra's dead voice stated. Like it was programmed, the ships computer quickly brought up a 3-D map of the area it was currently in. Cassandra's smoldering green eyes remained half lidded as she studied it.  
  
Voidus, is what this chuck of space had been called when it had broken off from the Milky Way galaxy billions of years ago. Those that possessed magic had decided to leave in fear of those who didn't. They had used parts of all the planets in the solar system to create their own, similar to Earth, and then forced part of the galaxy out of time and space but kept it in this dimension. It remained hidden through magic but no longer. Although it was still hidden from normal human sensors she had been able to feel it and had come to investigate.  
  
The Voidus had changed. Cassandra's eyes scanned the map that her new data had just generated, memorizing the distance and calculations. The single planet had split into five smaller planets each with its own unique eco- system and life. The five planets were arranged as if they were the five points of a star, which made a unique orbit around their own sun. The only thing they had in common was the presents of human life, magical human life. The same magic that had given birth to the planet still remained strong with its inhabitance, but not as strong as it had in the past.  
  
"Scan physical surface, 01" Cassandra ordered. The computer beeped in response as it began mapping the surface of the greenest planet. Her fingers easily ran over the panel in front of her as if they were born to it. They might as well have been. Cassandra built the space ship from scratch; there wasn't an inch of it she didn't know by heart.  
  
It only took her a moment to finish inputting the commands into the ship's computer before she slipped out of the hard metal chair on the main deck and headed toward the supply room. Cassandra loaded up a basket with beakers, scanning devices and jars before heading to the docking bay of her ship. A small scooter shuttle than looked to be 50 years old, covered in scratches and dents, creaked opened and Cassandra ducked her six foot frame through the door.  
  
The one roomed shuttle was clean and came to life under her careful instruction. Although the ship looked beat up, its engines barely hissed as they warmed up, in perfect condition. Cassandra hands multi tasked as one directed her main ship to open the hatch while the other directed the other scooter out of the bay and into space. As the door to her ship closed Cassandra let her eyes see the vastness of space. Its star's shown brightly waiting to give up their secrets as the black seemed to go on for ever as Cassandra's eyes looked further and further into space.  
  
Cassandra refocused her eyes, her vision returned to normal, as steered the shuttle down to the green based planet... 01, although its inhabitance probably had a better name for it.  
  
It wasn't easy to find a big enough clearing amongst the think span of pine trees but eventually one that could fit her rectangle like shuttle appeared. With the easy of experience Cassandra slid the shuttle straight down and quickly turned off the engines. She wanted to get he samples and information necessary without dealing with the planets people.  
  
Cassandra set up the scanners and let them begin to scan for magical wave lengths. There were three categories of magic. Kai – the magic's source was self, Elemental – the magic's sources was the elements, and External – required the energy of an object to focus either of the two powers above. The scanners worked fast, the magic was External – a staff was the chosen fulcrum – and the scanners began finding and ranking every staff on the planet as Cassandra left them to collect samples.  
  
The pine forest was pretty dry, many pine trees had dead yellow needles around the base and the forest floor was coated in a thick layer of dried underbrush. No plants other than hearty weeds and pine trees grew and only the occasional small rodent could be seen, although Cassandra spotted a few deer tracks. The sent of dried sap filled the area, masking her ability to smell anything else. Cassandra's soft moccasins made no noise to add to the overly quiet forest, which seemed to be hiding from something unseen. Cassandra wrote her observations down in a plain black leather bound notebook before she started to collect samples of the planets physical materials.  
  
Her basket was half full of dirt, rocks, animal scat and leaves when she came upon the biggest tree on the planet. Her triquarter had indicated the truth of this statement and Cassandra needed to get a cork from it. From the cork of a tree you could read the moisture history of the specific area... but based on her scans the entire planet was exactly like this forest so it would probably apply to all. She pulled out the ancient looking mettle rod; it looked ancient because it was. These tools had been used back in the 1900's and it was now the year 2368 but Cassandra preferred to use her hands.  
  
She had drilled the rod a quarter into the tree (it only had to go half way in) when she felt eyes meet with her back. She didn't stop drilling but quickly reached her mind out to get a sense of the watcher. It was male, young probably about 17 or 18. His mind was calm, like hers, as he watched Cassandra. No thoughts were running trough the surface of his mind, although Cassandra could feel a few underlying emotions which gave proof to his humanity. As of yet he was still assessing the situation, Cassandra was an intruder but she seemed to have no magic or technology at the moment and hence posed little threat.  
  
Cassandra drilled the corker down to its hilt and then braised herself as she pulled it out, careful to keep it exactly straight. Her mind never left the young man's and when he decided to approach her, prepared to fight, Cassandra was ready and turned to face him.  
  
"Name and Purpose," the voice dead panned. Cassandra studied the body that came with the mind she had just investigated. It was not particularly tall, hard cobalt blue eyes watched out of a tanned slightly oriental face. A mop of brown hair, tinged with green, gave the boy a rumpled look, despite his neat – but well warn – robes. The dark green color went down to the ground were the stained and torn bottom covered up the young man's shoes. A thick leather strap gave the robe some shape where it was tied around the middle and long baggy sleeves, just as torn and beat as the rest of the robe, concealed arm's attached to the tanned hands. One of those hands wrapped around a staff.  
  
Cassandra recognized its make, they hadn't changed in the millennium plus that passed. Vines of dark wood snaked up from the ground, twining amongst each other and only leaving the occasional hole in the staff. Once they got up to the middle the twining changed into an organized pattern as they caged in five balls of crystals, each on top of the next. The bottom ball was the smallest and the top ball the biggest. Each crystal was a different color and represented a different power; the amount to user controlled was in the size of the crystal.  
  
This staff was extremely powerful, the top ball was almost half a foot across and the crystal was the dirty yellow of pure power. The next below it was only slightly smaller and it was the red-orange of fire. Following that was the dark blue of water then the dark green of earth and then the smallest, but not small by any means, the white of mind.  
  
Cassandra took all this in at a glance before meeting the eyes of the young man. Without warning Cassandra lifted the lids of her burning green eyes and looked into the boy's mind. She slid easily past his mind barriers and quickly absorbed everything about the boy; his past, his fears, his hopes, his intents, his beliefs, she left nothing unrevealed. It only took a moment but when Cassandra refocused her eyes the boy was no longer standing across from her but instead he had her shirt in his hand and his staff pointed at her head. Cassandra let her eyes lids slip to their normal half lidded position, effectively hiding the blazing green.  
  
"Cassandra, exploring," Cassandra stated. Her voice was clam and as dead as the boys, Heero was his name. The silence that followed was almost tangible and Cassandra decided not to go into his mind to see what he was thinking. Her hands were loose at her sides, waiting to draw on the many concealed weapons that were on her persons. But then if it came to a knife fight, Heero was also covered in metal.  
  
He was the guard for a near by village. He had been trained his entire life to be a soldier, a fighter and a killer. His face was carefully devoid of emotions as well as his surface thoughts all buried in the intense training that he had gone through. And he easily kept it that way by staying away from human contact. His home was on the out skirts and he only went into town to get his food and water rations once a week. And because of his intense power and cold demeanor the village was just as happy that he stayed that way.  
  
"Exploring?" Heero dead panned.  
  
"Map Maker," Cassandra stated in response.  
  
"Dirt samples?" Heero dead panned.  
  
"Details," Cassandra returned. The more she talked to Heero the more she liked him. He spoke like her, clear and to the point. If a person took in all the information around them than there really shouldn't be unnecessary questions or statements.  
  
"Magic?" Heero dead panned.  
  
"Unlimited telepathy and telekinetic," Cassandra stated. Heero narrowed his eyes slightly. Based on the information Cassandra had just given him, than she could have easily kept him from grabbing her in the first place and now that he had her she could have easily pushed him off with out lifting an arm. Cassandra almost beamed when his next question was asked, her excitement building at finding another like her.  
  
"Benefactors?" He dead panned.  
  
"No," Cassandra stated. Based on her reaction to his aggressiveness he figured out her intent on his own. Peaceful and then asked the question that would guarantee that Cassandra's intent would remain that way - her position to make her own decisions.  
  
The hand on her shirt loosed and then let go and Cassandra smoothed out her baggy sweat shirt so that it once again sat plainly on her thin shoulders. She looked glanced at Heero again and when he gave no directions she picked up her stuff and started walking back to her ship. She was not surprised when Heero slipped in next to her.  
  
The silence between them was not awkward although it lasted the entire hour back to her shuttle. Heero was not really needed in his guard position. The towns all over the planet got along fine and sense the split of the main planet into the five parts it seemed that all fighting had stopped. The problem on this planet was lack of water. There was enough to keep it alive but it had to be rationed and watched.  
  
Cassandra guided Heero around her scanners, which were almost done collecting their information, and ducked into the little one room shuttle, replacing her basket in its cubby in the corner. Her hands flew over the control panel as she started down loading information onto one of the mini computers that had replaced paper and books.  
  
"The magic that hides the voidus is failing," Cassandra stated. "In a little over a year is will be detected."  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted to show that he was listening.  
  
"There are many different factions of beings," Cassandra pulled the cord out of the mini computer and handed it to Heero. It was implied that the rest of the information was in the mini computer. The two once again fell into silence as the wheels in bother their heads turned. Cassandra let her mind slip into his. She felt a connection to this boy and despite her past experiences she wanted his company... too bad he was gay, other wise she would have enjoyed his company in more ways than one. But even just as a friend.  
  
"Stop," Heero dead panned. Cassandra raised an eye brow and stopped reading his surface thoughts. She had already gotten what she wanted thought; he was feeling the same connection to her.  
  
"It is wrong. What you gained was not yours to gain," Heero stated. Cassandra lowered her eye brow. He was referring to her intrusion into his mind. It was true that it was wrong but she never shared the information or judged based on it. It guided her actions and allowed her to know where to trust.  
  
"Not for me," Cassandra stated. She turned to the control panel again and checked to see where the scanners were. They were done and Cassandra turned to collect the scanners.  
  
"Information to superiors, taking off in two hours," Cassandra stated as she passed Heero. Give and I were both implied in her words and she new the young man would understand the unspoken invitation to join her. Cassandra silently hoped that he would choose to.  
  
In the next two hours Cassandra did what little was left for her to do and began to compile the data. Her mind tracked Heero as he traveled away and then headed back. Cassandra's cold stiff face couldn't help but crack a small smile.  
  
mtc 


	3. Quatre

Heero had been angry when he realized that the odd looking woman in front of him had mentally raped him. What she had done was beyond what was considered to be wrong. But something had tugged at him and his anger had quickly faded. It was both a mixture of his training and something else. Despite the fact that he had no secrets from her he still felt in control of the situation as if what she had done was only a bad memory and even she couldn't remember what she pulled out.  
  
His town's leader had been angry when he had turned in the information as well as told him of his immediate leave, but he didn't care. The town had never needed him and now it seemed that something greater was coming. The few belongings he owned were slung over his shoulder in a leather pack, his staff still in his hand, when he came back to the ship. The door opened as if expecting him and he easily walked in.  
  
Cassandra was seated in a chair her hand's flying over the controls in front of her. Long black hair up in a high pony tail fell to the floor in stark contrast to her ghostly white skin. Her body was ill proportioned and her facial features were small... too small for the size of her head. Her baggy sweat shirt and gei pants hid most of her body, but her skinny wrists and neck stuck out of the black cloth.  
  
Heero let himself be seated on the floor, there were no other chairs, as the door closed and the shuttle began to rise. The silence was just there, it was almost companionable as the shuttle moved up into space. Heero couldn't help himself as he stood and looked out the window into the black, dotted with white. His eyes moved to a ship as the shuttle approached.  
  
It was as black as the rest of space, but lights pointed out its furthest reaches. To Heero, who had never seen a ship before, it looked enormous. A giant oval made up the center, several stories high and wide. Three long ovals stuck out of the back and four round plates covered the sides top and bottom. A door opened up in the side and the small shuttle seemed to be eaten by the giant ship.  
  
Heero watched Cassandra's hands as they moved over two different panels and the shuttle softly landed in the docking bay. Cassandra stood and took up her basket. Heero followed her trough the dark metal covered halls until them came to what looked to be a lab where Cassandra put down her basket.  
  
"All rooms except personal quarters," Cassandra stated. Heero nodded, he could go anywhere on the ship he wanted except Cassandra's personal quarters. Heero followed Cassandra to his own quarters.  
  
"Lights," Cassandra stated as she walked into the room. It was clean, empty (except for the basic furniture) and dark but looked comfortable enough.  
  
//Simple things are voice activated... everything else uses the computer system. Once you are settled come to the lab, teach you.// Cassandra's voice explained in Heero's mind.  
  
//Roger// Heero stated back in Cassandra's mind. Cassandra left as Heero emptied out his few belongings and, staff still in hand, traced his steps back to the lab. It was dark except for the eerie glow of computer screens and a 3-D image being projected in the center of a table.  
  
Cassandra was at another computer her hands flying over the consul as words and data popped up on the screen. When Heero approached her fingers drew to a stand still and she activated the lights.  
  
Although Cassandra poured a lot of information onto him, Heero soaked it up like a sponge. Compared to his training, using the computer consuls was easy and by the end of the day he was efficient on every one on the ship. Replicators provided his meals, the food didn't taste as good as it had on his planet but it was decent and water was plentiful.  
  
The ship was not warm but it was not cold either, and his robes got in the way more than they helped. After learning how to use the replicator he easily researched the clothing it could produce and chose accordingly; faded jeans and a green tank top, which unknowingly showed off his toned and muscled body. Dark brown work boots kept his feet warm while a dark brown leather jacket covered his arms when they got to cold. His staff still never left his side.  
  
Heero spent most of his time at first learning how to use the technology; he was taught how to operate both the shuttle and the main ship. His mind easily memorized the schematics for both ships and he went through the logs to find out as much as he could. As it turned out the voidus was smack in the middle of something called 'neutral territory' which was exactly what it sounded like. It was the border between Romulan, Klingon and Federation space; a neutral zone where the ships weren't supposed to shoot at each other. Like Cassandra had said they were safe for now but that could change when their portion of space became visible to the out side world.  
  
The groups that were worthy of note were the Federation, Romefeller, Klingon Empire, Cardassians Empire, and Romulan Empire. The Federation was a group of ideally peaceful explorers. Mainly human, but also consisting of many other peaceful races. Romefeller was similar, based in human but more accepting of other less peaceful races. Heero could see just from what he was reading that the leader, Treize Khushrenada, was a shrewd man who wanted more than just as taste of power he now held. The Klingon, Cardassian and Romulan Empire were all very similar. War like and hating the federation, Kushrenada seemed to have the closest ties with those three empires. Heero kept the information in the back of his mind. He would think about it when it came to be that time.  
  
After a week Heero had settled in and both inhabitance were used to each others presents. Heero felt like he was at home for the first time, although when he really thought about it... some thing was still missing. Cassandra finished the soil and physical samples taken from his planet about the same time he finished constructing the data part of the map of 01. It would make any one hard pressed to make a better map of a place. The information on it was vast and would tell you anything you needed to know.  
  
//We move on to 04 now, I'm leaving you the bridge. We will arrive there in a few hours// Cassandra stated in his head as the two finished double checking the map for missing information and human error.  
  
//Roger// Heero responded back. Cassandra always spoke to him through telepathy. Except to command the computer Cassandra never spoke out loud.  
  
The bridge was dark and quite when he got there and Heero used the time to meditate and practice some of his magic. Controlling your mind was the first step to any form of magic powers. The beeping computer told Heero that the planet was now before him. He slipped on his leather jacket and picked up his staff, sliding it into the holster than he had made on his back. Cassandra was already on the shuttle, her basket of equipment packed.  
  
An extra chair had been bolted to the floor and Heero took half the consol, controlling the shuttle as Cassandra controlled the door to the main ship. Heero let his eyes wonder over the planet as the small shuttle started toward it. 04 was very blue, different shads of blue and blue-green covered its surface and it was dotted in places with bright green.  
  
Heero easily guided the shuttle through the upper atmosphere, the outer shield glowed red as it heated against the thicker air. His eyes scanned for a place to land, within the coordinates that Cassandra had specified. Each planet had a main power source, where the most information could be found. It made scanning and physical exploration time much less. Water seemed to cover most of the planet with only small islands, but those islands were covered in bright green plants.  
  
//Here// Cassandra stated in Heero's head. Heero looked over at the biggest island he had seen yet, he couldn't see the other side. The shore seemed to be the only place with room for the shuttle so Heero guided the shuttle down like he had been doing it his entire life, not for the first time.  
  
A wave of hot moist air bit into Heero's back as the door was opened. Almost simultaneously Cassandra and Heero removed their outer layers. Heero glanced over at Cassandra, he had never seen her with out the sweat shirt. Her torso was wrapped in some sort of bandages or something that substituted for a shirt. Her torso was impossibly long and compact corded muscles strung like wires across her body. Heero quickly grabbed the container of scanners, Cassandra would handle physical collection. A few minutes later Cassandra was far inland and Heero was double checking the scanners. He attached a transmitter that would tell him when they were done to his waist band and set off to do some exploring of his own.  
  
His planet had always been lacking in water and in contrast it seemed as if this planet was drowning in it. The sound of waves against the beech was soothing to the ears as Heero walked along, watching the salty foam as it tried to reach the trees further in land. The dark blue of the sea was in contrast to the light cloudless blue of the sky and the sun made the water twinkle and shine. He squinted as he saw something further a head and hurried his pace. As he came closer it was clear that it was a human. The sound of laughter drifted on the wind and the figure came into focus.  
  
Heero stopped and stared at the beautiful young man. His golden blond hair was plastered to his face as were his robes to his body except where they floated in the water around his thighs. His slim arms hung playfully at his sides before they darted out into the water accompanied by a bout of laughter. Heero was unsure of what do to next as he stood transfixed by the innocent playful image.  
  
Suddenly the young man looked over at Heero, his eyes wide. Despite being in the water and dressed in water filled robes, he moved fast. He was on the shore, staff in his hand by the time Heero realized that he might be considered a threat. Cassandra had told him to be careful not to be seen, they wanted to come and go in quiet.  
  
"Who are you!" the blond yelled. Heero weighed his options, he could turn and go back to the ship now but the young man would probably follow him.  
  
"Explorer," Heero dead panned. The crystal clear blue eyes narrowed as the blond began to walk closer, staff out in front of him. As he got closer Heero realized that the young man was about his age and the staff he carried was the same make as his, except with different powers. The top most slot head the light purple stone of healing. Next down was the white of mind followed by the brown of earth. The last two were the dark blue of water and the light blue of air.  
  
Heero's hand instantly grabbed for his staff as the young man got within a few feet of him. The young man stopped and the two looked each other over, judging intentions. Suddenly the young man's eyes widened and his posture dropped, his staff slightly drooping.  
  
"I sense no bad intent from you," the young man said nicely. "My name is Quatre and who do I have the pleasure of addressing?" His voice was smooth a clear. It fluxed with his words and seemed to carry ease with it. Heero didn't lower his staff but slightly loosened his tense muscles.  
  
"Heero," Heero stated. The waves crashed on the shore, a flock of gulls flew and landed in the sea, their white wings added to the sparkling water.  
  
"Well, this is awkward," the blond laughed as he rung some of the water out of his robe. "So what are you doing on this island... or would on this planet be a better question?" Quatre asked.  
  
Heero slightly frowned, he already answered that question, "Exploring," Heero dead panned.  
  
"I see, not a big talker. That's ok, it takes all kinds. You don't have to be worried about me. I have empathy so I know that you mean me no harm. I won't attack you or anything," Quatre said. Heero looked Quatre over again. He was slim and pretty short, but muscled. Heero had no doubt that the young man could hold himself in a fight, especially with the size of his staff powers. But no matter what Heero was seeing he couldn't bring himself to be truly worried. The salt was starting to crust on his wrinkled pink tinged robes and his bare feed curled and uncurled in the warm sand. Heero shifted as the transmitter at his waist went off.  
  
"Something done?" Quatre questioned.  
  
"Scans," Heero dead panned. He turned and headed back the way he had come, replacing his staff in its holster on his back. He was thankful for his tank top; the warm most air was making him sweat. He distantly wondered why there weren't any bugs when he felt Quatre come up and fall into step with him.  
  
"Do you mind if I come along?" Quatre asked innocently as he reached out to touch Heero. Heero unconsciously moved away, his training didn't allow for close contact and when others tried to touch him, they normally ended up unconscious for their troubles. Quatre seemed to sense this and didn't try again.  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted. Quatre took that as an 'I don't care' and matched pace.  
  
It took longer than Heero remembered to get back to the shuttle, Quatre on occasion made small talk but seemed happy enough to remain quiet. It wasn't an awkward silence just the quiet between two people with nothing to contribute. Heero heard Quatre gasp as the shuttle came into view.  
  
"So you are from a different planet... How is it that you use a staff than?" Quatre questioned as he began to look around the outside of the ship. Heero went inside and glanced around form something dry for the blond to wear. The only thing he could find was Cassandra's giant black sweat shirt, it would have to do. Heero threw the sweat shirt at the blond as his amazed face came from around the back of the shuttle.  
  
"I can wear this? Tanks, but really I want you to answer my questions," Quatre said, his voice muffled from underneath the sticky robes he was pulling off. Heero busied himself with the scanners.  
  
Quatre looked tiny as he sat down in the door to the shuttle. The giant black sweat shirt went down to his knees and half of it hung off of his bare shoulder. His hair was ruffed up in an attempt to keep the sand and salt from crusting on it and letting it dry in mats.  
  
"So what planet are you from?" Quatre asked again. Heero didn't look away from the scanners that he was now transferring data from.  
  
"01," he dead panned. The blond frowned and looked at the sand; one slim leg came out from under the sweater so a toe could play in the grainy substance.  
  
"Where is that," Quatre asked, his voice confused.  
  
"Voidus," Heero dead panned. Quatre's frown deepened.  
  
"But that would mean that you came from one of the war like planets... but your feelings are nothing like that. You're just a curious as me!" Quatre said. He looked his eyes determined and Heero finally looked at him from the scanners.  
  
"The only battle we fight is against the planet that doesn't give us enough water," Heero said. For some reason Quatre's confusion bothered him, he could see the brilliance of the young man in those crystal clear blue eyes. Some one of his caliber should not be confused.  
  
"So how did you end up here?" Quatre asked, choosing change topics. Heero got up as he finished his final scanner and sat down in the sand next to the door.  
  
"Explorer," Heero dead panned. He felt like a broken record.  
  
"Ya, you said that before," Quatre said, his voice laced with disappointment. Heero didn't respond it was a statement, not a question. The sounds of the waves and nature took over the area as Quatre mulled over Heero's origins in his head. Heero switched his attention from the sea, to the scanners, to Quatre and then back. Surprisingly the time quickly passed and Heero looked inland as Cassandra's quiet presents began to appear.  
  
Heero nodded to her as she walked up to the door, full basket in her arms. Heero blinked when Quatre jumped and yelped.  
  
"How did you get here?" Quatre panted. Heero's eyes narrowed slightly. Quatre was an empath; he should have felt her coming miles away. Cassandra shrugged but turned her eyes on the little blond. His eyes were wide, Cassandra was a sight – even if she hadn't some how hidden from the boys empathy. Before either of the boys could make a move Cassandra's eye lids fully opened and her burning green orbs bore into Quatre's mind. As it was with himself Cassandra's intrusion was momentary and left no marks.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" Quatre suddenly yelled. His hands grabbed for his staff and not a second latter the glint of a shield surrounded him. The red on his face seemed to be both anger and embarrassment, but his crystal clear orbs wavered in hurt and mistrust.  
  
//Scans?// Cassandra questioned in Heero's mind, pulling his attention away from Quatre.  
  
//Half an hour left// Heero responded. His eyes never left Quatre who was now looking between Cassandra and Heero with mistrust. With his strong mental abilities he would have felt that Heero and Cassandra were communicating mind to mind.  
  
//Make your decision// Cassandra stated. Heero's eyes shifted to her as she took a few empty jars out of the basket and began walking along the beach. She was soon out of sight. Heero slowly turned his head back to Quatre. The young man was still standing, his face beat red and his knuckles white on his staff.  
  
"You can trust her, she will never revile what she took," Heero stated.  
  
"She mentally raped you as well... that's why you are forced to travel with her. There is something very wrong with her. Why don't you come to my village? We will take care of you..." Quatre started.  
  
"I go where I please," Heero stated, cutting him off. There was a tense moment before Heero went back over to the scanners and began packing up those that were done. He felt Quatre's eyes on him as he moved.  
  
"I can't sense anything from that woman," Quatre stated. Heero looked at him as he sat down in the door way, staff still curled in his fingers. "But you are right; I felt no intrusion in my mind. It feels like a bad dream that is fading so fast that the feelings are already gone and just the fact is left. Was it the same for you?"  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted. Silence descended on the pair once again.  
  
"What did you used to do on your old planet?" Quatre suddenly asked, his voice was quiet. Heero set the last of the scanners in their own basket and sat down in the sand, moving his staff out of the way to be comfortable.  
  
"Soldier," Heero stated. Quatre looked at him, waiting for more information. When none came he leaned back on the door frame.  
  
"I'm a healer... or I guess you saw that. I hate it! Not healing, but the people I heal. Because of my family and my power level everyone seems to think that I can only treat those they judge worthy. I really don't care if Margery is gaining weight, she can treat that and fix it herself... with so little food on this planet she shouldn't even be able to! And all my sister treat me like I'm a little baby that can't take care of himself..." Quatre rambled.  
  
Heero's brain didn't try to process or register what the blond was talking about. It was stuck on Cassandra's words. Telepathy and mind powers were very different. Heero could used his mental powers to sense others intentions and speak mind to mind but he could not read the real thoughts of others. Telepathy was detailed and precise; sometimes it could even glimpse the future.  
  
Quatre was not like Heero, yet Cassandra must have seen something in him. Some reason the blond would want to come with them. Heero looked up as he realized Quatre had stopped talking. Heero narrowed his eyes as he decided how to form his next question.  
  
"Would you like to come with us?" Heero dead panned. Quatre blinked and cocked his head to one side. Emotions began spinning through is opened orbs as he considered Heero's words.  
  
"When are you leaving?" Quatre asked, his voice was calculating and steady.  
  
//Cassandra, when are we taking off?// Heero sent in the direction of Cassandra.  
  
//When ever Quatre is ready// Cassandra sent back. Heero nodded and relayed the message to Quatre. Quatre blinked but stood.  
  
"If I go home, than they will not let me leave again... do you have supplies that I could use?" Quatre asked, embarrassed. Heero nodded. Quatre's eyes looked off to the side and he softly bit his lower lip.  
  
"Well, than let's be off then. My uchuu no kokoro tells me that this is the right thing to do," Quatre said brightly. Heero looked at the blond as he gathered his almost dry robes. Uchuu no kokoro must be what he called his empathy – his space heart.  
  
//Cassandra, Quatre will be coming with us// Heero stated in Cassandra's mind. He got the equivalent of a mental shrug in return. Quatre had piled his robes and clothing in the corner of the shuttle and was looking over the control panels when Heero came in, the last of the scanners packed and ready to go.  
  
"Cassandra is her name. These are control panels which send commands to the main computer..." Heero easily slipped into the technical explanation that Cassandra had given him and like Heero had Quatre soaked up the information.  
  
mtc 


	4. Trowa

Companions of a Kind – Trowa  
  
Quatre felt awkward at first as Heero taught him about the ship. After learning about the replicators, Quatre also chose new attire. Brown dress pants and a pink dress shirt, two buttons opened on top, covered his skinny but strong build. Comfortable black dress shoes covered his feet, and on occasion the ensemble would be accompanied by a vest the same color as his pants.  
  
His room was identical to Heero's, but across the hall. Quatre had been amazed to discover that he could eat as much as he wanted and for the first few days seemed to always have food of some sort in his hand. After the first day of learning and exploring, Quatre was thoroughly sick of the dark cold demeanor of the ship. He started his side project, using the replicators to first decorate his room and then he started on the bridge and most used rooms. Although it drew a raised eyebrow from Cassandra, she didn't comment so Quatre took it as permission to continue. It was slow work, done in-between his work on the map, meals, and rest, but it was coming along.  
  
His presents soon fit in with the ship and her small crew and the awkwardness quickly dissipated. Heero was quiet but easy to get along with and the comfort that he and Cassandra had with everything they did was easy to fit into. Quatre had a kind and passive temperament; he worked manly with the physical samples but also with the computer. With three working on the project it was done in much less the time that it had taken to map out 01.  
  
Quatre yawned and stretched, he glanced at Heero. The tingling sensation that meant that Cassandra and Heero were mentally communicating again made his ears itch. Quatre had never been somewhere as silent as the ship was. Heero would answer his question with mono syllables and Cassandra had never said a word to him. Quatre didn't trust her; he only did express it because Heero seemed to. Every time he had brought it up, Heero had treated it like a none issue.  
  
"We will map planet 03 next," Quatre pronounced as his eyes shifted to the glowing ball in front of him. With a quick command it shrank back into the larger map of the entire voidus. "I still think that we could work as traders between the planets. My planet is starving due to lack of earth and Heero's was dehydrated."  
  
"Hn," Heero responded. Quatre wrinkled his nose but didn't comment. Quatre had been horrified the first time a command had slipped out of his mouth. He had been so used to commanding a fleet of healers that when he had seen the inefficiency with which they were working it had been automatic. What had surprised him more was when he turned to apologize his ears had itched and then Heero's screen showed that he was following Quatre's orders.  
  
Although neither Cassandra nor Heero waited for Quatre's orders, if he gave them they were always followed. When Quatre had gotten Heero alone, which wasn't hard he has asked about it. And Heero had simply stated that neither Heero nor Cassandra had worked with more than one other person before and Quatre's orders were always more logical, except in fewer words.  
  
Quatre had accepted that and, although there had been no official anything, he had slowly begun to take command of the ship.  
  
"03, seems to have little land as well," Quatre began to say out loud as his attention was brought to the initial scans from the planets surface. "But it is also lacking in water, but not as much as 01 or 04. It looks like its main center is at points GP497 and GP35. Cassandra's I'm sending the list of all the physical supplies we will need and Heero, I'm sending you the configuration for the scans. We will leave in two hours," Quatre said as he skimmed the rest of the initial scans.  
  
Two hours later the three were in the little shuttle, Heero and Cassandra at the helm while Quatre sat in a newly built and cushioned chair, toward the back of the shuttle. He watch in rapid attention as the shuttle entered the atmosphere. When the red of it stopped, the shuttle was engulfed in gray. Cassandra's hands brought up a screen in the corner that showed where the ship was and what was in their way based on radar. They would use this to figure out where they needed to go.  
  
"These are clouds," Quatre suddenly realized as they moved through the gray. There were few physical obstacles in their way, and except for where they were heading there seemed to be no land with in a mile. It wasn't until the shuttle was on top of the land that they could see it and Heero put it down with ease on the gray rocky ground.  
  
"Keep your transmitters on and meet back in two hours," Quatre stated as he picked up his own basket. Quatre and Cassandra headed off in different directions to collect different physical samples while Heero stayed at the ship to run the scanners. Quatre brushed his hand against the staff strapped to his back. Heero had constructed a holster for his staff as well.  
  
The clouds were so thick around Quatre that he moved slowly, checking each step before he took it. He felt like a disembodied ghost, he couldn't see past his waist. Although he preferred to depend on his eyes he moved his triquarter close to his face to let it scan for what he was looking for. Quatre froze when the present of another person etched itself on his empathy.  
  
"Who is out there?" Quatre quested, more curious than worried. The emotions he was sensing were curious and extremely rained in; it was hard to tell the person's intent. Before Quatre could holler again he felt the emotions move fast and then the bump of a staff as it rested against his back.  
  
Quatre gulped and moved his hand's into the air.  
  
"I mean no harm, I am just an explorer trying to map this planet," Quatre explained, lacing his words with soothing and trusting feelings. "My name is Quatre..." Quatre started but before he could finish the staff behind his back suddenly scraped up it with a clang. Quatre turned his attention to his empathy and identified his assailant's attacker as Heero. Quatre looked at the disembodied forms of the two men. Both had their staffs in front of them, the dirty yellow of Heero's raw power glowed in preparation to fight while the dark brown of earth glowed from the other young man's.  
  
Quatre's eyed what he could of his assailant. The young man was tall; one of his sharp green eyes was covered by long, impossibly pointy reddish brown bangs while the other emotionlessly watched Heero. His dark brown robes covered his pail body completely before they disappeared into the fog.  
  
Before Quatre could gather his wits the two darted toward each other. The fog took on the tint of their staff power as balls of dirty yellow and brown hit and mixed, making the fog swirl around them before they exploded on each other. Quatre dived for the ground at the intensity of the explosion.  
  
But he was up in a flash, his empathy telling him of the battle at had as the two young men used both magic and limbs to go at each other. Quatre suppressed the anger and grief that began to build up in him and yelled, pulling his staff into his hands. The white crystal of mind flashed a brilliant white before a shield formed around him. Quatre controlled the power as he pushed the shield out further and further, willing the clouds to show him Heero.  
  
Sense his shield was only meant for the clouds it passed right through the form of Heero and his attacker. Quatre winced as he felt Heero get nailed in the jaw but then almost fell to his knees as the attacker's should was burned by a ball of fire and a foot connected with his ribs at the same time.  
  
"Stop!" Quatre screamed as he grabbed his shoulder and ran forward. He let got of his shoulder and flung his arms out between the two boys, his back to Heero. "We shouldn't be fighting!" Quatre said more calmly as his crystal blue orbs locked on sharp green. The clouds slowly began to creep back in on the three figures as Quatre broke the stair and looked over the tall young man.  
  
His robes were torn and spotted in blood, both his own and Heero's. Blood dripped from a split lip and a small burse was forming on his lower jaw. Quatre reflexively reached for his healing powers and walked toward the young man.  
  
"Quatre," Heero's dead voice warned. Quatre stopped his healing magic still active. He once again locked eyes with the stranger and brought one had up to his chest. The clouds had completely engulfed them once again as he called upon his empathy... his uchuu no kokoro.  
  
"He won't hurt me, the only reason he was fighting was because you attacked him," Quatre bodily stated. Heero's emotions didn't change and Quatre immediately turned his attention back on the tall young man, his hand stretched out in friend ship with a ball of healing magic on it.  
  
Quatre approached the young man like he was a wild animal and was rewarded for his patients when the little ball of purple light was absorbed by the bruise on the young man's face. Quatre let his had stay of the cold and smooth skin for a moment before blushing and removing it.  
  
"My name is Quatre, what is your name?" Quatre asked as his mind shaped his healing magic to heal the split lip.  
  
"I have no name, but if you must call me something, it's Trowa," the young man stated. Quatre smiled up at Trowa and brought his hand to his lip to heal the split lip.  
  
"We'll friend Trowa. I am not only an explorer but a healer and I need to make sure there is nothing else wrong with you that I can't see," Quatre explained as he sent his magic through Trowa's body. Quatre winced as it came back to him reporting broken bones and bruises. But only his freshly cracked ribs and bruise on his side were thanks to his most recent fight, the rest were old.  
  
"You're ribs are cracked," Quatre stated. "Along with a few other wounds... Heero, how are you fairing?" Quatre asked.  
  
"Functioning," Heero stated. Quatre bit his lip but didn't bother to comment.  
  
"Come here and help me get Trowa back to the ship," Quatre stated as he grabbed Trowa's arm and slipped it over his shoulder. "It's your fault his ribs are cracked and I don't want to heal them crooked," Quatre said annoyed that Heero was not following his orders. His empathy easily picked up the miss trust the two young men felt toward each other but Quatre ignored it. It was not laced with anger or hatred or any of the emotions that kept people apart so the two boys could get over it.  
  
Quatre slowly began to move Trowa and that seemed to force Heero into action, he quickly replaced his staff on his back and took Trowa's other arm, the one still tightly grasping his staff.  
  
"I can walk on my own," Trowa blankly stated.  
  
"It will hurt your ribs more," Quatre stated in return.  
  
"I have broken my ribs before," Trowa stated as he tried to remove himself from Heero and Quatre's arms. Quatre felt his ribs flare up, his empathy trying take away Trowa's pain by putting it on him self. Quatre didn't block it out and grabbed his rib cage.  
  
"But never around an empath," Quatre wheezed. God his ribs hurt, how Trowa could even stand was beyond him. Trowa suddenly stopped walking and Quatre felt the pain ease up along with the amount of weight he was baring increase. He quickly blocked out Trowa's pain and smiled at the tall young man. "I'm ok now, it's just sometimes I feel other's pain," Quatre said.  
  
It was a short way back to the shuttle and Trowa remained as still as possible as to not make Quatre feel his pain. Quatre smiled at Trowa as he lay him down on the floor of the shuttle. Quatre felt some kind of connection to him... an instant trust that had had never felt before. He glanced over at Trowa's staff.  
  
The wood was lighter than Heero's but darker than Quatre's but it was the exact same design. The crystals were the same size as Heero's. The biggest being the dark brown of Earth at the top followed by the deep blue of water. Mind was only slightly smaller then the light blue of air and last but not least the reddish-orange of fire.  
  
"I'm going to start healing you now," Quatre stated, taking his eyes off Trowa's staff. "It takes both the energy of the healer and the healed, and you have many wounds..." Quatre trailed off at that. He didn't want to pry into Trowa's past, but at the same time he didn't want to pass up the chance to learn about him.  
  
"Heero seems to carry an arsenal under his clothing," Trowa stated. "I understand the healing... and I trust that you will do your job."  
  
Quatre bit his lip to try and keep his emotions off his face. That part about doing his job had stung but it would be pointless to argue with Trowa, so instead he began shaping his healing powers as his hands pulled opened the top of Trowa's robe. Quatre had to stop himself from starring at the firm chest and six pack that were now opened to for his viewing. He swallowed a hunk of spit and focused on his healing magic.  
  
"I didn't know that about Heero, although I could have guessed," Quatre said as he started healing the cracked ribs, and bruised organs behind them.  
  
"Why are you healing me before your friend?" Trowa suddenly asked after his ribs were as good as new. Quatre blinked and then glanced out the door; the clouds were so thick that he couldn't even make out Heero's form working on the scanning equipment.  
  
"Heero... well, I would feel it if he was really hurt and I'm mad at him for attacking you with no real cause. I know that it looked like you were going to attack me but even if you were planning on it I could have talked you out of it. Violence is not the answer to all problems," Quatre explained as he moved to a fresh knife wound on Trowa's arm.  
  
"Hum," Trowa breathed in response. Quatre let her eyes linger over Trowa's who was starring at the ceiling.  
  
"So what do you do on this planet?" Quatre asked, trying to make small talk.  
  
"I am part of a mercenary band," Trowa stated. Quatre winced inwardly; he had basically just told Trowa that he thought his profession was wrong. Quatre decided to bite his tongue rather than stick his foot further into his mouth. As he healed he lost track of the time and like always Cassandra presents was not felt until he saw Trowa shift his gaze to the door.  
  
"Ah, Cassandra. I left my basket..." Quatre started to say but before he could finish he saw his empty basket by the door. Cassandra's soft moccasins let her silently glide into the shuttle where her green eyes looked over Quatre and Trowa. "Cassandra you can't..." but before Quatre could even finish his thought Cassandra eyes lids flew up and those hateful green eyes bore into Trowa.  
  
There was a flash of emotion in Trowa's face before it was gone, once again replaced by the mask of indifference. Cassandra's eyes were already half lidded as she glided back to the door, picking up Quatre's basket on her way out.  
  
"Cassandra," Quatre called angrily. His emotions were so strong that he didn't notice that his ears were itching again. But Cassandra didn't even acknowledge his words as she walked out of the ship, the clouds swirling around her dark figure before swallowing it. Quatre didn't know what to do. He cursed himself for brining Trowa back to the ship. He madly rubbed his eyes to keep the tears that were trying to form from falling down his face.  
  
Quatre was surprised when he felt a hand on his lower arm. He looked down at Trowa's fingers unable to look him in the eye. Quatre didn't know how long they stayed like that but it was Heero that broke the moment.  
  
"Trowa has clearance to join," Heero dead panned. Quatre looked over at Heero whose eyes were locked on Trowa. Something seemed to pass between the two stoic young men before Heero turned. "We are taking off in one hour," he stated before being swallowed by the fog.  
  
Quatre turned and looked down at Trowa's hand, still unable to meet his eyes. Trowa had trusted him, and Quatre had already let him down. He had let Cassandra mentally rape his friend.  
  
"Trowa..." Quatre started. He was surprised when a cold hand pushed his chin up and forced blue eyes to meet green.  
  
"Do not blame your self," Trowa stated. He let his hand drop to his side and moved his eyes to the door. "What was... Heero... speaking about?" Trowa quietly asked. Quatre suddenly remember that Heero had come in and said some thing and the idea that Trowa could join them suddenly made his energy level go up.  
  
"If you want to come with us you can," Quatre happily said. "It's not always the best life. I'm still working on making the ship more inhabitable but it's all you can eat and drink. Like I said before we are explorers, although I hope that we can start trading between the planets as well eventually. Its just the three of us right now the woman's name is Cassandra..." Quatre trailed off at the mention of Cassandra and he started to lower his head again.  
  
"It sounds intriguing," Trowa stated before Quatre could completely lower his head. Quatre looked at Trowa and opened his empathy up fully. He could feel a dull ach in the young man's chest and a general mistrust and hurt for the world but like the two before him the damage from the mental rape was as good as gone, only knowledge of the fact remained.  
  
"Cassandra... she never brings it up or treats you differently for what she knows. She and Heero seem pretty close but other wise, she isn't even around," Quatre tried desperately to explain.  
  
"It is logical to want to know everything about the people around you, then there can be no misunderstandings," Trowa stated. Quatre looked over at him as he pulled his body into a sitting position. "I need some space to think," Trowa stated. Quatre nodded, Trowa was completely healed now, and walked out the door. It wasn't too hard to find Heero using his empathy and he sat down hard, almost crushing a scanner, in an attempt to control his emotions.  
  
The silent constant presents of Heero helped calm him down and he absently helped Heero pack up. When they returned to the shuttle Trowa was sitting against the back wall, his staff resting in his opened palms on his lap. His sharp green eyes looked up at them as they came in hauling the equipment.  
  
"I will take you up on your offer," Trowa stated. His eyes rested on the wall in front of him and his body was once again fully covered by his dark brown robes. As if she had heard Cassandra appeared out of the fog, a full basket in her hand.  
  
Except for Quatre trying to get Trowa to take his seat and double checking that he was leaving nothing that he wanted behind, not a word was said as the shuttle swam through the clouds. It broke through into the vast and dark space and made its way back to the main ship.  
  
mtc 


	5. Duo

Companions of a kind – Duo  
  
Trowa had lived for as long as he could remember in his mercenary band. His life had been far from easy but he had always had clothing and food. For those reasons and only those reasons had he requested to room with Heero instead of Quatre. Emotions did not come easily to Trowa, and the blond seemed to bring them out of him while Heero was also a fighter and the two shared an understanding that others could no comprehend.  
  
Trowa had been hurt by the hurt in the blond's eyes, but had buried it. He felt connected to Quatre but buried that also, connections only led to hurt. Trowa left their relation ship as friendly coworkers, which Quatre eventually seemed to fit into as well. Trowa exchanged his robes for dark blue genes, that hugged his legs and a dark blue turtle neck that kept his body warm on the cold ship.  
  
It only took three days to finish the map of 03 and in Trowa's spare time he found himself helping Quatre to make the ship look more lived in. Although it had been functional before the blond insisted that it was depressing.  
  
Trowa had been surprised when it was Quatre who gave the orders on the ship and not Cassandra, sense it was obviously her ship. But like Quatre had told him he rarely ever saw the woman and never heard her speak. Quatre told him that she mentally communicated with Heero but Trowa could never feel it and only Quatre's slight frown would tell him that it was going on.  
  
Trowa adapted easily to the computer system so it was no surprise when Quatre paired him with Heero to work the scanners for 02. Another padded chair had been added to the little shuttle but Trowa seated himself at the helm with Heero, leaving the chair empty for Cassandra. Her silent presents easily slipped into it without complaint as Heero and Trowa maneuvered the ship toward the extremely dark spear of 02.  
  
There seemed to be little atmosphere for the shuttle to plow through and soon Heero put down the shuttle on the dark crusty ground of 02. The dry texture of dust and soot filled the ship as the main door opened and the four spilled out to go about their given tasks. Trowa watched Quatre's form as it got smaller and smaller along the black ground that stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. He tried to bury the worry that filled him at seeing the blond leave alone... but Quatre could take care of himself and Trowa had already promised him self that he didn't care.  
  
"What is your opinion of Quatre," Trowa suddenly asked. Heero didn't even break from what he was doing as if he had been expecting the question. Trowa slightly admired Heero's ability to not be fazed by anything.  
  
"Bright and capable," Heero dead panned. Trowa's face remained passive. He had wanted to know if Heero had more feelings toward Quatre than he had let on. Obviously Heero was loyal to the blond and the two had been working together for a while, but then again Heero had a closer connection with Cassandra. But he had some how found Quatre and 'saved' him back on 03.  
  
Heero was oblivious to Trowa's inner turmoil as he finished setting up the scanners and then sat down in the door way to the shuttle. Trowa turned to continue questing Heero but a chill ran along his back and compelled him to glance around first. And he was glad he had when his eye caught movement off to his left. Heero had reflexively looked as well and stood, his staff pulled out from under his leather jacket. Despite the black ground the planet was cold.  
  
Trowa felt Heero step up beside him, his jacket left with the shuttle, as the ghostly form of several bodies approached impossibly fast.  
  
"Leave now and Shinigami will spare you!" A loud voice boomed over the area. Trowa and Heero spared each other a glance before Heero summoned his crystal of pure power and erected a shield around the two and the ship.  
  
//Quatre, stay away from the ship for a while// Trowa used his mental crystal to send in Quatre's direction.  
  
//What's wrong?// Quatre asked back, his mental voice concerned.  
  
//We're not sure, just don't come back until I tell you to// Trowa firmly stated. He cut the link before Quatre could argue and turned his full attention on the clear grayish yellow bodies that surrounded them.  
  
"Necromancy," Heero stated his grip on his staff white. "My shield will come down; they are absorbing its power." Trowa nodded, that is why the spirits looked yellowish. Trowa knew as did Heero that the best way to combat sprits was with mental powers, nothing else affected them.  
  
"On my count," Heero stated. Without a word Heero and Trowa turned back to back and Heero began a slow count down. Trowa could hear Heero muttering between numbers as he began to surround his physical weapons with mental essence of him self... life was the only thing that could kill death.  
  
Trowa was doing the same with his few weapons but also reading several mental spells, neither of them had mind as a specialty but Trowa had more than Heero. As Heero's voice said one, the shield completely dropped and Trowa began throwing spells at the shimmering appertains that charged him.  
  
His first spell hit one in the chest and it gave an empty soundless scream before disappearing. Trowa didn't dwell on his first kill as he hurtled spells at the ghosts until there were too close. With a yell he pulled his bow knife out of his waist band, it shimmered with the power of the mind, and charged into the fray. His lethal body twisted and flipped, cutting through ghosts. He ignored the cold burns that he got as the ghosts brushed his body. His breathing was hard by the time the ghosts thinned.  
  
"Duck," Trowa heard Heero's voice yell. Trowa dove for the ground as she felt the air of several knifes fly where he had just been standing. When he looked up again the last of the apparitions had vanished. He pushed his sweaty body off the ground as the cold wind tried to freeze his sweat.  
  
"You two are better than you look," Trowa turned toward the direction the voice had come from. It was the same booming voice as before but at a normal volume. Trowa studied the young man now in front of him. He was not particularly tall with his form hidden in the folds of a layered black robe. His staff was almost hidden in its folds, the dark wood twining as it held in some of the most powerful crystals Trowa had seen.  
  
The bottom crystal was the smallest, but by no means small, purple of healing. Next up was the dark brown of earth; its color was so dark that it almost looked black. The red-orange of fire stuck out followed by the pure white of mind. Trowa's eyes widened as they rested on the dark black of necromancy, the rarest form of magic.  
  
"So you want to leave now, or do I have to kick you out?" The voice laughed, with one eye brow raised. Bright purple eyes twinkled out from under thick auburn eye brows which were the same color as the long rope of braided hair that went down past the young man's waist.  
  
Heero brought his staff out in front of him all of the balls glowing as they began to prepare for battle. The figure laughed and did the same with his staff; Trowa began to follow when he suddenly heard a cry from behind him.  
  
"Don't fight!" Quatre's voice rang out. Trowa felt himself tear between his instincts and his want to please the blond. Quatre's foot steps were loud as he ran in between the fighters, his staff still strapped to his back.  
  
"Quatre," Heero's voice hissed.  
  
"Put it down Heero, we should not be fighting each other!" Quatre yelled with out looking behind him.  
  
"I did not instigate," Heero dead panned, his staff still glowing.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Quatre yelled. Trowa saw Quatre's head scan the ground; He couldn't miss the mass amount of Heero's knives that littered the ground, the few that missed their targets still glowing with mind energy.  
  
"Why did you attack my friends?" Quatre asked once his head was once again addressing the youth. Trowa watched the braided youth as he narrowed his eyes and looked at Quatre suspiciously, his staff still out in front of him and glowing with power.  
  
"Why did you stop them from fighting?" The youth returned.  
  
"Because there is no reason to fight, we are explorers mapping your planet and nothing else," Quatre answered his voice was firm but kind. "We will be gone before the day ends."  
  
"Right, so your not here to take my land," The braided youth said as his crystals slowly lost their bright glow. Next to him Heero's staff went completely dark. Trowa felt Heero move but he didn't take his eyes off Quatre to see what he was doing.  
  
"Hey, don't move mister," The braided youth said. Trowa heard Heero's blank disregard for he youths words as his soft foot falls continued.  
  
"My name is Quatre," Quatre said his hand held out in friend ship. "Behind me are my friends Trowa and Heero, also explorers like me," Quatre explained taking the braided youth's attention off Heero. The braided youth narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Quatre as if knowing that that was the point of the quick introductions.  
  
"Shinigami, but my friends call me Duo. He may run and hide but he never tells a lie... that's Duo in a nutshell," Duo said his fighting posture finally dropping completely. Trowa let him self relax as Duo walked up to Quatre and shook his hand with great bravado.  
  
Trowa backed up to Heero, who was fixing the scanners that had all been knocked over, and a few broken during the fight with the ghosts. They would have to go back up to the ship for replacements.  
  
Trowa glanced at Quatre for the hundredth time to make sure that Duo was indeed as safe as he now seemed.  
  
"Cassandra will get replacements," Heero dead panned. Trowa looked over at him and nodded before watching Quatre and Duo again. Duo's manner had dramatically changed; even his eyes were different now. The bright purple was wide opened and like Quatre his face was readable like a book cover. The two boys laughed at something and Duo began rapidly talking, his hands flying in all directions, he even almost dropped his staff once.  
  
Trowa didn't notice Cassandra's presents until Heero directed him out of the way of the ship as it took off to get supply parts. Quatre and Duo were over in a minute.  
  
"What's going on?" Quatre asked.  
  
"Replacement parts," Heero dead panned. He quickly began gathering up his knives from the surrounding area, reabsorbing the power that had not been used.  
  
"We'll Mr. Personality made a lot of sense," Duo said dramatically. Quatre laughed slightly.  
  
"Cassandra has gone back to the main ship to get replacement parts of the equipment that broke," Quatre explained. "It takes a while but you get used to the way he speaks."  
  
"Cassandra?" Duo questioned. "Sounds like a girl."  
  
"Cassandra is the owner of the ship we are working out of," Quatre explained. Duo must have seen something in his face.  
  
"You don't like her much do you Cat?" Duo asked seriously. Quatre bit his lower lip.  
  
"No," he admitted. Trowa wasn't surprised but it was good to have his suspicions confirmed. He didn't trust the woman either; Heero seemed to be the only one.  
  
"So you live all alone here?" Quatre questioned.  
  
"Ya, I used to live in an orphanage in town but that was before my powers of necromancy developed and I was run out of town," Duo said his voice cheerful the entire time.  
  
"Duo that's awful!" Quatre exclaimed. Duo shrugged before showering Quatre with questions and then shooting off with his own stories. Trowa quickly got tired of the noise and joined Heero at the scanners.  
  
The ship soon landed back on the ground and Cassandra came out with a basket full of replacement parts and scanners. Trowa took the basket from her and began shifting through it. He looked up just in time to see Duo walk to up Cassandra and Quatre's voice trying to get him to come back.  
  
"Well, you're the only one I haven't met in some way yet," Duo said cheerfully, a hint of a challenge in his voice. Trowa would bet anything that Quatre had warned him about Cassandra's habit, but even if he hadn't it was too late the minute Duo chose to attack them.  
  
Trowa looked back down at the scanners as he heard Duo's in take of breath. He was surprised that no negative memories of feelings came up as Cassandra once again mentally raped another. But the more he thought about it the less he thought that that was exactly what she was doing. Duo didn't seem to think that deep because a moment later Trowa felt immense power in front of him and he looked up just in time to see Duo hurl a massive ball of fire at Cassandra.  
  
But Cassandra was already gone by the time the ball got to where she had just been standing and the fire ball went off across the ground, its red from getting smaller until it disappeared from sight.  
  
"Quatre, Cassandra will complete your collection. Duo has been given permission," Heero suddenly stated. Trowa watched Heero as he studied Quatre for a moment before going back to the scanners which were almost completely fixed.  
  
"God damn it!" Duo shouted. "You even warned me at she still did it, but it wasn't really mental rape. I would know... any way what's this 'given permission' shit about He-man," Duo suddenly asked.  
  
Heero looked up, his cobalt blue eyes slightly narrowed. Heero grunted some syllable and pointed at Quatre. Duo sauntered over to Quatre.  
  
"OK, Q-ball, I want some answers," Duo proclaimed. Quatre nodded.  
  
"Would you walk with me?" Quatre asked.  
  
"Will your watch dogs let me?" Duo asked sarcastically. So Trowa and Heero's watchful eyes had not gone unnoticed. Quatre looked at Heero and Trowa.  
  
"Yes, they won't have a problem wit it," Quatre said as he took Duo's hand and the two walked in the opposite direction as Cassandra.  
  
Trowa defiantly didn't like Quatre leaving with the necromancer that they had just met. But truthfully if Heero trusted Duo that meant that Cassandra did and sense the woman had just seen everything about Duo laid out on a table it was logical to trust her instincts, this time.  
  
The scanners were going fine so Heero and Trowa sat in the shuttles door drinking water and recuperating from a battle that seemed like ages ago. Cassandra came back first. She set Quatre's basket down and helped her self to water.  
  
It seemed like hours before Quatre and Duo came back. Duo had a big bag slung over his shoulder and Quatre was carrying a few items. Trowa stood when they got closer and took his seat at the front of the shuttle. Everyone piled into the shuttle; Duo's conversation with Quatre never stopped as Heero lifted off and took the shuttle back to its parent, another member added to their quickly growing crew.  
  
mtc 


	6. Wufei

Companions of a kind – Wufei  
  
Duo was almost bouncing off the wall of his new home as he looked around the ship. He could see why Quatre was trying to redecorate and would defiantly help him. He, of course, chose to room with Quatre, secretly happy that the silent but handsome one was across the hall. Not that Trowa or Quatre looked bad either but there was something about Heero that just pulled on Duo.  
  
After moving his collection of stuffed animals and necromancy stuff in with Quatre he ditched his robes for sexy leathers out of the replicator. Low cut black leather pants clung to his muscles legs and ass while a tight dark red tube top came just below his belly button. His exposed skin sprouted a gold belly chain and he replicated another gold chain to keep woven into his braid. A black leather jacket; similar to Heero's was replicated to keep him warm when the ship was having one of its colder days.  
  
"Q-man," Duo yelled from across the bridge. "We should tie die the walls, and then we can keep the chars their black color cuz it'll still match."  
  
"Well that doesn't really match the rest of the ship but at this point nothing does," Quatre said helplessly. Duo grinned.  
  
"Cool, I'll replicated some paint... we should do hand prints! Ya that's it tided hand prints," Duo said. He started singing a tune to himself as he walked to the replicators in the main mess hall.  
  
Everyone had been surprised when they had found main mess hall, although Cassandra hadn't been present. Quatre had made that face that meant that Heero and Cassandra were talking again and Duo had squished the jealousy from rising to his ever cheerful face. After being asked Heero had explained that Cassandra had built this ship using the main base of Starfleet fighter and then modified it, but it had been too much trouble to take out all the big parts.  
  
'Sweet! Now we can eat meals together!' Duo had proclaimed. Quatre agreed and the four began dining together. No one commented on the absents of Cassandra not even Heero.  
  
"All right we have one last planet to map," Quatre said to the five people in the room a mere two days later, they wouldn't be able to get the computers to go much faster than that. "05 is very hot and big. The gravity is more on the planet so we are going to want to be on and off fast. Heero and Trowa I am sending you the scanning info; Duo, myself and Cassandra will collect physical samples. I want to be in and out in less than two hours if possible," Quatre explained.  
  
"Hai caption!" Duo said, making a mock salute.  
  
"Meet at the shuttle in an hour," Quatre said. It was a dismissal for anyone that wanted to leave.  
  
"Don't you think that 'the shuttle' and 'the ship' sound funny?" Duo suddenly asked. Quatre raised his eyes brows and cocked his head.  
  
"Like a name, they need a name. Like Haties Hell or something, you know. Something more personal," Duo absently said. Quatre nodded in agreement.  
  
"I think they need names too, but not Haties Hell," Quatre said as he saved his work on the map and got up, stretching. Duo grinned and began to think up lists of names. "Everyone will need to agree, though," Quatre suddenly said. Duo could feel the names dropping of his list as his paper slowly started on fire.  
  
"But.. bu..bu..bu.. bu.. buuuu..." Duo started to protest but Quatre was already walking out of the room. So Duo followed and kept his protests for a later date, now they needed to get ready of map the last planet in the voidus.  
  
"Hey what are we going to do when we are out of planets in the voidus to map," Duo suddenly asked. Quatre cocked his head to the side and smiled.  
  
"Well, I thought that we could all have a talk about that after this planet," Quatre said. Duo didn't like that smile and spent the rest of the waiting hour trying to get Quatre to tell him early but the blond was strong willed and wouldn't crack.  
  
An hour later the five crew members pilled into the newly decorated shuttle, Heero and Duo this time taking up the pilot seats. The outside had not changed but the inside was now tidied with feet, every inch of it, including the floor. The chairs were painted black but had bright red pads on each one.  
  
"Well, we kept the shuttle and the bridge looking a little similar," Duo said as he admired his and Quatre's handy work. Trowa had helped with the chairs and cushions... who would have guess the man could sew... but it was Quatre's and Duo's feet that made up the paint pattern.  
  
"Baka," Heero dead panned. Duo put his hands on his hips indignantly but Heero's hands already had the main ship's doors opened which meant it was time for Duo to show his stuff. Although Duo had not taken to the Computers as fast as Heero, he piloted like he had been born doing it. He barely even need his first lesson and had Quatre screaming in fear with the tight turns he had maneuvered the little shuttle in on their first flight.  
  
Duo sped the ship through the atmosphere, happy that he had convinced Quatre to put handles on the walls and floor to hang onto. He pulled up just in time as the ship almost careened into the ground, and then let it mosey along until he found the quadrants he was looking for.  
  
The planet was similar to his, most of the ground was black, but it was warm and creased with red. Duo could make out giant volcanos in the distance and could see no rivers of water, only rivers of lava. The sky was a dirty gray brown, covering all of the space that he had just come from.  
  
"Wow, this is cool," Duo exclaimed as he looked around. "Hard to believe that we actually pick up the amount of human life that we did," Duo mumbled. He started a running commentary with the ship as he landed on a patch of black ground in the power center of the planet, right next to a giant cold volcano.  
  
"Drives like a wet dream, Cassandra. You made her right. She got a name?" Duo asked, trying to discover if he had the right to name the shuttle or not. His mind was taken off of the shuttles name though as Heero opened the ships door and a blast of hot air and sulfur hit Duo's nose.  
  
"Oh god, I think I'm gona puke," Duo said as he covered his mouth. He was surprised when Heero held out something in front of his face. It took him a moment to recognize it as a bandana.  
  
"Thanks He-chan," Duo said as he took it and tied it over his mouth and nose. At the same time he removed his leather jacket and left it on the chair. As he went to grab his basket to go collect he watched Heero take off his own jacket out of the corner of his eye. Duo racked over Heero's hot body for a moment before mouthing the word damn and ran to catch up with Quatre, who already had his triquarter out as was looking for physical samples.  
  
Duo got out his own and scanned for the minerals he was looking for, he wiggle his toes as the heat from the ground seeped through his plastic sols. He found them but in the opposite direction that Quatre had to go. With a brief good buy Duo headed off toward the cold volcano that they were set up by and got used to being alone again. It wasn't really that hard, he was just getting used to being around people again. Although Heero and Trowa were quiet, there were there and hearing what he was saying. Quatre was the best cuz he responded with more than 'baka' or 'ke-sama' (both from Heero) but he felt comfortable with everyone but Cassandra on the ship.  
  
Oh, he wanted to kill Cassandra some times. Heero was so beautiful and Duo tried so hard to get the man to notice him but he only seemed to have eyes for his computer work and ears for that woman. Duo was pretty sure that Heero wasn't with the woman romantically but based on Quatre's action they seemed to talk a lot over mental communication. DAMN HER!  
  
"You dare come into my land and profane?" A cold voice said behind Duo. Duo suddenly realized that he had spoken out loud. He started to turn, but stopped when the prick of metal touch his neck. Damn them both for making him think while he should have been paying attention.  
  
"Hi-ya, I was kinda deep in thought there...." Duo left the man an opening to give his name.  
  
"You are weak, that is why you were caught. Why are you on my families land?" the voice demanded, the knife started to cut into Duo's skin.  
  
"Chill out man, I was just exploring the area. I'm a map maker you see and this is the centurial power point on the pla... K, I get it stop pricking me with that thing," Duo said as the blade cut deeper into his neck.  
  
"Hump, we shall see weather you are truthful or not, walk boy," the voice said. Duo felt the man pushing on his back and Duo started to fight it but the knife at his neck sent a trickle of blood down in chest and he began to walk. Duo's mind worked frantically as he tried to find a way out of this situation.  
  
Suddenly he felt the man tense behind him. Strong arms wrapped around his stomach, pinning his arms to his waist and he was spun around. Duo blinked a few times trough his sweat covered bangs that looked like Heero in front of him.  
  
"Let him go," Heero dead panned. Duo felt the man behind him stiffen.  
  
"The two of you are trespassers and must be brought to justice by the elders," the voice stated, calm and confident.  
  
"Come and get me," Heero stated, bringing his staff out to front. Duo felt the arms loosen and then push him away. Duo ran toward Heero, he glance behind him as he ran to see the man pulling a dagger out of the back of his thy... it was one of Heero's. Duo skidded to a halt next to Heero and took his staff off his back.  
  
"No Duo, this is an honorable fight," Heero stated. He pushed Duo back behind him. Duo suddenly realized how strong Heero really was, Duo had grounded himself in preparation to fight and with one hand Heero had pushed him away.  
  
"Thank you for your honor," the man stated. Duo turned his attention to the man or really young man; he couldn't be older than Duo. His tanned and squinted features were of Chinese decent and matched his jet black hair that was pulled back in a tight pony tail at the base of his neck. His robes were completely white except for the stain at the bottom from the ground and the katana that was tied as his waist. They covered his legs but left his arms bare, the modification probably because of the heat of his planet.  
  
Duo finally noticed the white staff that the Chinese youth brought in front of him the giant fire crystal glowing in prepared power. The brilliant white of mind was almost the same size as fire followed by the light blue of air, then the dirty yellow of power and last the dark blue of water. Duo shivered, three of the most powerful crystals were in that staff. But then again so were they in Heero's and Duo's.  
  
Heero and Wufei locked eyes and Duo could almost feel something pass between them before both charged at the same time. Heero dodged a ball of fire and his ball of power made a hole where the Chinese youth was about to step. The Chinese youth was fast and jumped over, his leg flipping over to do side kick, but Heero brought his hands up and blocked, the red of a fire shield reflecting in his eyes. There was a moment where the two just stood there, Wufei's foot in perfect position against Heero's fire shield and then suddenly the switched positions as Heero tried to kick Wufei's one foot from under him but this time they didn't stop.  
  
The fighters became a blur of motion accompanied by blasts of power and fire, mainly. Suddenly the two broke apart and Duo ran toward there new area. Both were breathing hard and had no major cuts on them, although Wufei now had out the katana, and Duo could see the glint of blood along the blade.  
  
"You are a worth appoint, unlike your sniveling companion. Are you too an explorer," the Chinese youth asked. Although he didn't drop his guard Duo got the distinct feeling that something had changed his is opinion of the situation.  
  
"I am," Heero dead panned. The Chinese youth seemed to think before he slightly lowered his weapons.  
  
"And you vouch for... that?" The Chinese youth asked, almost spitting out his last word. He slightly gestured toward Duo.  
  
"Yes," Heero said with out hesitation. Duo knew that his was a difficult situation but his heart fluttered at Heero's words and he had to concentrate to keep his mouth from working with out him.  
  
"There is more to this than it seems. Do you have a leader?" The Chinese youth asked.  
  
"Yes," Heero stated. The Chinese youth nodded.  
  
"That we will put away our weapons simultaneously and I will speak with him," the Chinese youth announced. Just using eye contact the two fighters slowly put away their weapons and the Chinese youth walked toward them, limping from the knife wound in his thy.  
  
Duo had trouble stopping him self from growling as the youth took the opposite side Duo was on and Heero started walking the three back toward the shuttle. Duo felt his mind powers spark in response to Heero contacting Quatre and informing him of the situation.  
  
"Our superior is away from the shuttle but is now heading back, he will meet us in less than half an hour," Heero dead panned. Duo couldn't help it as his mouth began to work to relieve the silence that the three were walking in.  
  
"So, now that you're not trying to kill us and everything... What's your name?" Duo asked his voice still giddy from Heero's earlier comments.  
  
"Chang Wufei, but you can call me Wufei," Wufei stated. Duo nodded a little confused at why he preferred or even gave his last name but what ever.  
  
"I'm Duo and this is Heero," Duo replied. "I was looking for some minerals when you found me and Heero does detailed scans, along with Trowa. You'll meet him pretty soon. And Quatre is our fearless leader man, he looks like a softy but when it really matter's he pulls his weight. Then there's Cassandra, and she just scares us all... accept Heero that is," Duo rambled. He took a breath to speak again but was interrupted.  
  
"I do not want to form opinions of those I have not met, please keep your trap shut," Wufei growled. Duo looked at him indignantly before sticking out his tongue and putting his nose in the air.  
  
"Fine then, be anti social like everyone else. Duo has lots of friend, even if you can't see them all," Duo said, his voice taking on a scary laugh at the end. Wufei narrowed his eyes and looked at Duo's staff for seemingly the first time. "Well, I meant it as a joke," Duo explained now trying to smooth over the naturally evil power that had defiantly not manifested it self as evil in him.  
  
"Baka," Heero said. Duo went silent after that, although he almost talked every time he saw something interesting or thought of something interesting, and then at the end he just started to get board, it was a blessing in disguise when he saw Trowa in the distance. Duo ran to the tall figure who stood up in curiosity from his place bending over the scanners.  
  
"Trow, god it was awful, they didn't say a word to me and then the new guy – who doesn't even know me! – told me to shut-up," Duo blathered really fast. Trowa blinked and Duo took it as a sign to keep going. Even though it was an extremely short distance by the time Heero and Wufei had made it to the shuttle Trowa was completely caught up on the situation.  
  
"Duo have you healed either of them?" Trowa asked when Duo stopped to take a breath. Duo's face went white... he hadn't thought about that.  
  
"No," Duo squeaked. Trowa just nodded and bent back down to finish what he had been doing to the scanners. Duo shuffled over to Heero and Wufei, both were drinking in silence. "I should ask if either of you need to be healed," Duo squeaked again, although he managed to keep his head up.  
  
//Sorry I forgot to ask earlier// Duo forced into Heero's mind. Surprisingly forced wasn't correct because Heero let his presents in.  
  
//We all forget, we haven't been around others for so long, bandage up your neck, Quatre will worry// Heero replied. Duo felt a sting; Heero was worried about him but only because of Quatre; Heero like Quatre, not Duo. Absently Duo nodded and moved past Heero into the shuttle, he considered strangling him self for his stupidity at thinking he even had a chance with Heero but scratched that idea... who knows what Cassandra might do with his body.  
  
Duo was still bandaging his neck, deep in thought when he heard Quatre's voice. Damn it again, he had been so deep in thought that he had forgotten to go out and heal Heero. This day could not get any worse!  
  
"Heero you're injured," the blond pointed out the obvious.  
  
"Hn," Heero responded. "This is Wufei," Heero stood and walked to the scanners.  
  
"Wufei is hurt too... well I won't state the obvious here," Quatre was quiet for a moment and Duo saw his blue orbs glance into the shuttle.  
  
//Duo are you// Quatre started to ask.  
  
//I'm fine// Duo cut Quatre off. //Go talk to our visitor// Duo could feel Quatre's reluctance to leave but as the self appointed one in charge and the only person with real social skills it was Quatre's duty to talk to Wufei.  
  
Duo quickly finished his neck and replaced the masking smile on his face. He hoped he walked casually over to Heero and then waited for Heero to acknowledge his present before entering the youth's personal space. Quatre had warned him and he had learned first hand that Heero did not like to be touched. Heero's glance at him gave him the permission he needed and Duo powered up his purple crystal.  
  
"Time to play nurse and patient," Duo cued. Heero glared at him and Duo grinned knowing that most everyone else would be scared out of their pants by now.  
  
"I'll take care of the scanners," Trowa stated behind Heero and Heero moved his glare to Trowa who didn't look up. With a grunt Heero stood and walked into the ship where he lay down and let Duo's magic do its work.  
  
Duo couldn't stop the longing that gripped his heart to have Heero alone so physically close but so far at the same time. Heero belong to Quatre, and they deserved each other.  
  
"What's wrong baka?" Heero dead panned. Duo suddenly realized that he had stopped healing mid job and rolled his eyes, praying that he hadn't been talking out loud.  
  
"Sorry deep in thought," Duo stated. Luckily Heero's wounds were not serious and it didn't drain him too much to make his crush as good as new. It was a full hour before Quatre and Wufei returned. Cassandra was waiting for them, her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Quatre has invited me to join your crew, but to do that I must go through you first," Wufei stated. Cassandra didn't respond, only completely opened her eyes. Duo watched as the millisecond past that it took for Cassandra to completely go through some ones mind happened and then faded. The Chinese youth stayed calm and passive through out the entire thing.  
  
Quatre's eyes were hard as he stared at Cassandra.  
  
"Fine, last," Cassandra stated. She turned without another word and walked back into the ship. Duo looked at her oddly as he moved out of the door way to let her in. This was the first time he had heard her speak; her voice had been dark and cracked with lack of use.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Quatre started to apologize but Wufei stopped him.  
  
"What you were speaking of is just and worth the deed. Justice flows and directs the noble," Wufei stated. Duo raised his eyes brows but didn't comment. While they had been talking and watching Heero and Trowa had cleaned up the rest of the scanners and the six piled into the shuttle.  
  
"Q and I did the decorating," Duo announced to Wufei.  
  
"Figures," the Chinese youth stated. Duo stuck his tongue out at him and then was forced down into his seat by Heero pulling on his pants, or at least trying.  
  
"Pilot," Heero stated. Duo wrinkled his nose but ran his hands over the controls.  
  
"You let this manic drive?" Wufei stated in disbelief.  
  
"Actually he is excellent, however I would still sit down," Quatre responded as Duo hit the engines and exploded toward the atmosphere.  
  
mtc 


	7. To trade or not to trade?

Companions of a kind – to trade or not to trade?  
  
Wufei straightened out the traditional Chinese top that he had replicated. The off white matched the off white of the low ankle gripping gei pants which gripped just above traditional black slippers. Underneath the top was a not so traditional dark blue tank top and his hair was pulled back in its usual pony tail. Wufei didn't put a lot of thought into what he looked like, but he did think about it.  
  
He had in his former life as well. He was the son of the highest ranking clan on his planet. As such he always had access to books, literature, and anything he wanted. However as the son of a high station he had also several obligations, the most life changing one had been is betrothal to a rowdy warrior female name Marin.  
  
Although able to fight, it was required of his station; Wufei's preferred weapon of choice was knowledge. And when Wufei expressed his true feelings, that his father's choice of a bride was wrong and ignorant, Wufei had been sent on border patrol to 'think'.  
  
Patrol was easy, there was little fighting on his planet, most just worked to survive in the hot and hostile environment. He had been surprised to meet Duo. But that had led to one of the best sparring matches he had had in a while, which in turn had led to one of the most excellent verbal sparring matches he had encountered.  
  
Quatre's ideals were noble and the challenges his proposition had put in front of Wufei were irresistible. This was also the only chance he would get to escape his fathers rule and not have to marry a girl that he had little interest in. Cassandra's intrusion had been unnerving but short. And once he was on the ship it felt as if he had been born to it, other than Maxwell's constant blabbering and teasing he had never felt like he fit in some where so well. And now that the map was completed he prepared to help Quatre make his ideals come to light.  
  
The door slid opened with a slight hiss of the pressure release and Wufei stepped into the designated meeting room. His eyes narrowed at the bright green color that assaulted his vision but his eyes adjusted. Quatre, Trowa and Heero were already present. Duo and Cassandra had still to arrive.  
  
Wufei easily pulled out one of the black, newly padded chairs, and took the seat across from Quatre, his notes on one of the mini computers in hand. Wufei heard Duo even before the door slid opened, his loud whistling of some obnoxious tune could be hear within three corridors.  
  
"Hey guys, you're all early... were's Cas?" Duo said as he spun around the chair across from Heero before sitting down in it the wrong way.  
  
"Not coming," Heero dead panned. Every head turned to him and Quatre was the first to speak.  
  
"What do you mean not coming, it is her ship!" Quatre exclaimed.  
  
"Three were no plans after mapping... 'I'm just along for the ride' were her exact words," Heero dead panned.  
  
"You mean she does talk in complete sentences!" Duo said excitedly.  
  
"That was not the point, Maxwell," Wufei calmly stated.  
  
"I know Wu-bear, I was just making a joke, sheesh," Duo complained. Wufei could not control the angry red that came to his face. He sucked in a breath to 'calmly' tell Maxwell that his name was Wufei but before he could get to it Quatre's smooth voice stepped in.  
  
"Stop, if Cassandra is not interested than we will move on with out her. Now that the planets are mapped we don't have a mission, as Heero puts it. However, life is very hard on the five planets we have mapped," Quatre started. He took a deep breath and looked each person around the table in the eye. "If we become a trading vessel, than we can give those planets that are lacking what others have in abundance."  
  
The five went quiet. Becoming traders would mean that the ship would be known about her crew would be known and communication would be restored between the people who broke apart the planets in the first place.  
  
"I think that's a great idea!.... NOT!" Duo said sarcastically.  
  
"Do you have any reasons that it would be bad?" Wufei calmly asked. This was the main reason he had joined Quatre, peace between the planets and inter planetary travel could help many.  
  
"Well let's see, it was their war that pulled apart the main planet in the first place. If people are given the ease of not fighting nature, than they will start fighting each other again. Oh and not to mention that ships haven't been seen in the voidus for over 300 years," Duo crossed his eyes and suddenly looked at Quatre. "Q-ball, Cassandra is the only one among us who doesn't come from voidus... how did she get in here?"  
  
Quatre's eyes widened and he glanced around the room. Wufei's dark eyes studied Duo then Quatre and then rested on Heero. Even if he hadn't been told it was obvious that Heero represented both him self and Cassandra in most decisions.  
  
"That is a very important question," Trowa stated as his eyes also came to rest on Heero.  
  
"The magic protecting the voidus is failing, Cassandra has pure telepathy and found us, it will be a year before modern technology has the capabilities," Heero stated.  
  
"And you didn't think this was important enough to tell us?" Duo asked in disbelief. "I mean it could only mean the end of life as we know it, for both the magical and the non-magical world. Nothing big."  
  
"The data was in the computer," Heero dead panned. Duo let out an exasperated breath and stood to start pacing, his braid swaying behind him.  
  
"Well this only changes everything," Duo muttered followed by several inaudible curses containing the words stone man, computers, and common sense.  
  
"Yes it does," Quatre stated. "We must alert the planets and try and bring them back to friendly terms. That mission would be much easier if first friendly trade was set up between them."  
  
"I agree with Quatre. Duo your planet is freezing and mine is burning up. Heero's needs water while Quatre's does not have enough land. Every planet has something to trade to balance them out," Wufei explained.  
  
"Quatre's idea is the best plan to start the planets toward unification. No matter the group that discovers the planets, it will make things easier," Trowa interjected.  
  
"But will they work together?" Duo asked.  
  
"We can only know that by trying," Quatre said cheerfully. "So can I say that we have decided to become a trading vessel for the planets?" Quatre manly looked at Duo, although he peeked at Heero who had not said a word.  
  
"Fine, whatever, I don't have anything better to do!" Duo said as he threw his arms up in the air. Quatre beamed and looked at Heero as Duo sat back down.  
  
"I suggest that we start with 01, they are aware of the outside threat and are still on speaking terms with me," Heero stated. Wufei was surprised by this statement but didn't let on as Quatre's voice began making out detailed plans.  
  
Once all plans were agreed on Wufei took his turn and explained the modifications they would need to the ship. The ship was a fighter, even the shuttle was a fighter and Wufei wanted to keep it that way but also make room for storage and transportation.  
  
"That all sounds good, but you know what this ship really needs," Duo said once Wufei had finished explaining his planed modifications.  
  
"What would that be Duo?" Quatre questioned before Wufei could snap at him.  
  
"A name!" Duo exclaimed raising his hands off the back of the chair. Quatre gave a little laugh.  
  
"Yes it does Duo, but that is a little less important than Wufei's modifications. Wufei you probably already know but Heero knows this ship inside and out. Leave your plans with him. Trowa and he will make all possible modifications... Cassandra is telekinetic. Use her as a resource for heavy lifting," Quatre ordered. "Unless others would like to work with the planets I will assume that Wufei and I are the only ones who will act as go betweens."  
  
"What about me!" Duo asked indignantly.  
  
"Duo you can help Heero and Trowa. I know that you are a good person but your necromancy staff will attract too much attention on a planet. We need a master at the helm of the ship while we are on the surface," Quatre tried to explain. Duo understood and nodded. With nothing more to be said the meeting was adjourned, the name less vessel soon to begin trading.  
  
One week later Wufei, once again dressed in his now clean white robes walked into the shuttle bay. His eyes widened as he looked around the giant chamber.  
  
"Cool isn't it!" Duo's voice yelled. "Heero is a fucking genius. We thought this would be impossible until Trowa reminded us that we still have staffs... you know technology sometimes makes even the best of us forget. Well anyway, Heero sealed the chamber with good air using his pure power while Trowa and melted it out and reinforce it again. We got this bay as well as most of the others on your list more than three times bigger... and you should see..."  
  
Wufei tuned out Duo's voice as he inspected the room, he could see a few spots where the crude melting was apparent but it was well done over all. He turned at the sound of Quatre and Heero's voices.  
  
"Wufei, this is very interesting," Quatre said as he beckoned Wufei toward them. Wufei glanced at Duo and narrowed his eyes. Duo was scowling at Quatre... Wufei blinked and when he looked at Duo again the usual smile was plastered to his face. Wufei decided to forget about it a hurried over to where Heero and Quatre were stopped. Quatre was once again in his robes, staff in hand.  
  
"They turn any substance they target into tiny particles and send them at the speed of light to the appointed area, where the particles recombine. It's fast and works with our magic," Heero finished explaining.  
  
"And we can target something so big is fills up this entire chamber?" Wufei questioned. Although he had missed the beginning of the conversation he understood what was being talked about.  
  
"Yes," Heero stated.  
  
"How do we know it is compatible with our magic?" Quatre questioned, his face concerned.  
  
"Duo is functioning," Heero dead panned.  
  
Quatre and Wufei both started prep Heero for more information but they weren't fast enough and Heero had already joined Trowa in the shuttle, the engines swiftly warming up. Quatre looked at Wufei who looked at Duo who was starring at the side of the ship.  
  
"I'll bet he knows," Quatre said. Wufei nodded and followed the blond over to Duo. It was important that they could explain how they knew that magic was not affected by this form of travel.  
  
Wufei almost forgot what he had wanted to ask Duo when his eyes met with what Duo had been staring at.  
  
"Maxwell!" Wufei yelled so loud it echoed in the bay. Not two seconds later Heero and Trowa made an appearance on the seen, although they managed to stay calmer that Wufei.  
  
"I was so board and the shuttle needs a name, its bad luck for it not to be named!" Duo exclaimed. "You like it, right Quatre?"  
  
"Its interesting Duo," Quatre said, his voice straining to stay even. Drawn over an entire side of the shuttle was, maybe a lake with lots of greens in it. The only real distinguishable thing was the tidied words in the middle. They read 'Beta' with fish making up each word. Actually the words were quite interesting to look at.  
  
"I was so proud of myself. I thought I would never come up with a name everyone could agree on but think about it. Beta is a science term, it's a type of fish, it's a math term, and computer term! And if you switch the't' and the 'a' you get 'Beat' and our shuttle will beat down any that go near it!" Duo exclaimed as he threw his arms up into the air.  
  
"When Quatre said 'agree' I believe he meant we would all choose a name," Trowa stated. Duo put his hands down and blinked.  
  
"That makes more sense, but what's wrong with the name Beta? Heero, you like it. I know you do. And besides I already covered the ship in spells to keep the paint from ever wearing off," Duo said smugly, all of the confusion and desperation gone from his voice.  
  
"Fine Duo... just warn us before..." Quatre started.  
  
"Then I'll start painting 'Companion' on the outside of the main ship while you guys are out," Duo stated. His eyes narrowed as he dared anyone to challenge his name choice this time.  
  
Wufei slightly tilted his head. Companions was actually a decent name for the ship considering that it had brought the five of them together and now was helping all the planets in the Voidus... not that he would say that in front of Duo.  
  
"That souds like a fine name Duo," Quatre said. "But Cassandra is still on board and it is still her ship..."  
  
"She might as well not be. She's locked herself in some room some where with the samples. Heero says that its gona be a while before she comes out," Duo said, annoyed.  
  
"That makes things much simpler," Wufei interjected. "Now explain how it is they we are positive that this transportation thing works without effecting magic."  
  
"Oh, Mr. Noise (at this name Heero turned back to the shuttle Trowa in toe) didn't tell you, big surprise. Well we found this thing and I was just playing around with it to find out what is was and then Trowa tried to get me to stop and I ran thinking that he wanted to play but I must have hit something in the process because suddenly I started to disappear, spell on my lips and everything... and then suddenly I was in Beta, just me. But I was locked in for a minute because I couldn't figure out where I was but then the tidied feet..." Duo started to ramble.  
  
"Duo that was dangerous! What if you had materialized in space or lost your magic?" Quatre interrupted both in worry and need to move on.  
  
"But I'm fine," Duo stated. "If you would let me finish..."  
  
"Yes Maxwell, it is apparent that you got out of the ship and then learned how to work the transporters either through your own means or by your usual leaching," Wufei growled. "We must move on now, or we will be late to our meeting."  
  
"Yes, true," Quatre answered. Wufei heard Quatre saying good by to Duo (who was indignantly denying Wufei's words) as he walked into the shuttle. Heero and Trowa were calmly waiting for them, dressed in their normal casual ship clothing. The ride to the planets surface was quiet and smooth. Except for Quatre's double checking that Heero did not want to attend the meeting he had set up, quiet.  
  
A group of people were waiting for them when the shuttle landed. Their greeting was not warm but was not cold either and they were offered food and water as Wufei and Quatre sat in a circle with two mean and a woman, all in their mid forties, while Heero stayed with the ship. Trowa on the other hand had refused to leave Quatre's side, becoming a silent body guard that Quatre wasn't not exactly pleased about.  
  
Wufei was yet again amazed by Quatre's speech. His word choice was faultless and smooth, showing off his higher education with out offending those that he was speaking to. And his voice just sounded like one you could trust. Not much convincing was needed and Quatre turned the meeting over to Wufei to work out the logistics.  
  
"You will bet starting the trade so I need a list of what you want and we will trade for that before coming back. If there is anything we have on board that you would like and we can afford to give away start with that to cut your losses. Our ship, the Companion, can carry a mile wide and deep worth of earth. We have workers who can help you carve out where you would like your first lake," Wufei explained.  
  
"That sounds decent but we will constantly be down in actual trade. In return we would like to be the first to receive information on the goings on in the voidus, especially concerning it dissipation," one of the men said. Wufei looked over his muscled but lightly rounded form.  
  
"I'm sorry that is the one thing we can't do," Quatre said. His voice was not sorry at all. "We can only give you the supplies that we have now and then trade your earth for double at first until everything matches up."  
  
For a moment Wufei thought the trade was going to be off as the man's face turned a slight shad of red but the woman defused the situation.  
  
"That is fine, just promise to warn us when the voidus has failed," she stated. Quatre genuinely smiled.  
  
"Yes, of course," he said. Wufei's cold eyes watched Quatre finish the deal before the group went back to Beta. Quatre called out Heero. Wufei did not miss the cold looks that 01's people gave Heero as a tall and thin man led them to a clearing in the forest. Trowa used his earth powers to lift the dirt from the ground and Heero used his power to contain it.  
  
//The Earth is ready to be transported// Wufei sent to Duo through their mind powers.  
  
//Gotcha... how does this thing work again... oh wait that's it, just kidding, sense I DID help Heero figure out how this works and it was all MY initial exploring that let him get started// Duo started a running commentary in Wufei's head.  
  
//Shut up and Energize Duo!// Wufei literally screamed into Duo's head.  
  
//Ouch, I'm gona get a head ach Fei... fine Energizing// Duo responded grouchily.  
  
Wufei watched in amazement, his anger at his nick name vanishing, as the giant power contained earth slowly began to dissolve, like it was in a tub of water, until is was gone.  
  
//The Companion's got a lot of dirt now// Duo stated in Wufei's head. Wufei shook the amazement off of his face. Heero came up and stood next to Wufei while Quatre finished with the meeting and, with Trowa still playing body guard, headed back to the ship.  
  
"Why has Trowa insisted on playing body guard for Quatre?" Wufei asked Heero as they walked back to Beta. There was silence for a moment and Wufei didn't think Heero would answer.  
  
"Quatre is important to the survival of the Companion. Of us he is the physically weakest and needed to considerate on the task at hand," Heero dead panned. Wufei nodded, this explanation mad a lot of sense.  
  
As Beta flew through space back to the Companion Quatre requested that they turn the lights on to see if Duo had really painted the name on this ship. Wufei growled as the lights hit Duo's handy work. The solid black that made up the shipps camouflage was broken, but not too badly, by the name painted in grays, browns and dark blues. Like Beta, the words were in fancy script that resembled graffiti.  
  
"Well, we're home," Quatre said quietly as Heero turned off the lights and Trowa opened the docking bay. Wufei felt a little warmth in his chest at the word home. For home it was.  
  
mtc 


	8. Interludes of a year part 1

AN: Although I don't mind the lack of reviews I would like to take this moment to thank AnimeGirl8 for her reviews, they are read and appreciated. Sorry for the late posting, quick edit was being added and I couldn't upload… however it was worth the late update to now have that tool.  
  
Companions of a kind – Interludes of a year part 1  
  
245 days until discovery –  
  
"They left me here all alone again!" Duo complained to the main computer. "And it might be days like the last one before they come back... what in the hell am I supposed to do?" Duo asked the computer, as if it was all the computers fault.  
  
Setting up the trading had been fairly tricky but fast. Every planet had seen the benefits of trade with one another but Quatre's instance to keep the Companion natural seemed to be the only thing the planets trusted. Magic became the only way the Companion could transport sprit, heat and cold. But to magic users those things were like transporting materials.  
  
"What about this Gundanium I was reading about," Duo mumbled to his self. "Darlin bring up the info on Gundamium if you would," Duo addressed the computer. A moment later the info was once again on the screen. Duo skimmed it, he had already read it three times, and once again was left on indecision. He had tried to replicate the super strong metal but the computer had been unable to comply, because it was illegal so he wanted to ask Cassandra. But she was still bottled up in that stupid room... actually Duo would be ok if she stayed there for the rest of her life. He was still jealous of the connection she had with Heero.  
  
"I'm gona do it this time," Duo stated as he stood up. "Wish me luck darling." The computer didn't respond as Duo marched his way to the room Cassandra was in. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it slid opened. Cassandra already knew that he was there.  
  
"Ah, hi," Duo said cheerfully.  
  
"Gundamium is extremely hard to refine," Cassandra stated. Duo blinked and looked around the room. He couldn't see much it was dark, Cassandra's pasty skin stuck out where the light from the hall bounced off it.  
  
"The replicator doesn't just make thing appear, it keeps the materials in their most bass form and them combines to create what is asked for. Find bay five and a half," Cassandra stated. Duo started to take a breath to ask more questions but before he could something pushed him out of the room and the doors hissed shut. Duo shivered. Cassandra gave him the creeps.  
  
"Fine then, I'll just find this bay five and a half," Duo said to the door. The entrance to the bay's were on the bottom level, although most of them expanded up to the fourth level. Cassandra's personal room, which hadn't been opened for god knows how long were the only quarters on the bottom level. And engineering spanned four stories which started at the bottom with what Heero had said was the warp core, which gave the ship its power.  
  
Heero spent most of his time on one of those floors; he had even made himself an advanced mini computer that was directly connected to the main computer. Damn Heero the man was always on the computer, unless Quatre was giving his orders or Cassandra was speaking to him through telepathy.  
  
The labs were on the second level. This included the room Cassandra had locked herself in, the medical bay, which Quatre had made his second home and several science rooms which Trowa had taken over and every once and a while one could hear explosions from.  
  
Trowa had become the weapons expert of the ship. There wasn't a weapon, magical or technological, that Trowa could not perfectly manipulate. And they had added several magical weapons to the Companion's arsenal.  
  
The third level was the rest of the personal quarters and personal space. Heero and Trowa still shared the same room as well as Duo and Quatre while Wufei took his own room, the last empty personal quarters on the ship. This level also had the mess hall, a few large work out rooms, and a garden/library room that Wufei had made his home (and greatly expanded), and two strange dusty rooms. They were dark, with seemingly no lights. Black grids covered all sides of the room and as far as everyone on the ship could tell they served no purpose so were never touched.  
  
The fourth level contained the most important rooms to the ship. The top of engineering was most of the control panels and directly connected to the bridge and the transporter controls and hanger; Cassandra had set the ship up to be able to be run by one. Wufei's plans had not changed that but had mad it more accessible to be run by five, which also made it more efficient. There was supposed to be some one on the bridge at all time and there was except when Duo was left alone and the ship was powered down. Then Duo would get board and he modified a triquarter to alert him to any activity on the bridge so he could explore, as he was doing now.  
  
Duo stopped at bay four and very slowly walked to bay five, dragging his hand along the wall. It was smooth, not cracks to control panels no nothing. Duo wrinkled his nose and turned, leaning back against the door with a grunt.  
  
"It's got to be a riddle then," Duo said to himself. "Find bay five and a half... that's not a fucking riddle! But what about the other side..." Duo started toward the other side. He ran his hands over the wall and scanned it with a triquarter.  
  
"Yes! Gundamium!" Duo yelled when the triquarter finished its scan; there was a compartment behind the wall. "But how to get to it?" Duo asked himself. After another half an hour of searching with no results Duo finally yelled at the wall pulled out his staff. A loud explosion later Duo walked into the room via the hole in the wall. His eyes popped as he looked at the compartment and all of the stuff in it. Metals, wires, tools, gears, computers everything anyone could ever need to build a ship.  
  
"Duo you have hit the jack pot my friend!" Duo exclaimed to himself as he ran around familiarizing himself with everything in the room. Duo grinned to himself and put his staff off to the side, his hands began flying over the computer an idea for a project coming to his mind.  
  
242 days until discovery –  
  
"Duo is not at the helm," Heero dead panned. Quatre wrinkled his nose and Heero saw his mental crystal glow with use.  
  
"He's not answering, he must not be touching his staff... you did make him a holster," Quatre confirmed. Heero nodded although the question really didn't deserve recognition.  
  
"I'll return to the ship and work the transporter," Heero dead panned. It still took 45 minutes for him to get through 05's heavy gravity and maneuver into the shuttle bay alone. As he walked to the elevator to get to the top floor, Heero noticed several bits and pieces of what looked like the ships walls.  
  
Heero pulled out a knife in his right hand, leaving his left free to whiled staff power if necessary. His feet barely made a sound on the metal floor as he found the source of the mess. A giant hole in the wall, Heero flipped over his knife into a defensive position ready for an attacker.  
  
He was quick and quiet as he slipped into the hole in the wall, and stayed quite as he was meet with the sight off all the building supplies and equipment. He turned just as Duo popped up, a ball of fire white hot in his hand.  
  
"Hey Heero, how did you get here?" Duo yelled as the fire dissipated. Heero blinked at the giant machine Duo was working on before his eyes surveyed the rest of the room. Messy and full but Duo was the only living thing in it.  
  
//Explination// Heero asked Cassandra.  
  
//Shuttle building room, Gundanium and everything else anyone would need to build what ever they wanted. Duo found it three days ago, has only been out twice// Cassandra stated before she cut out. Heero narrowed his eyes, Duo was scowling at him.  
  
"Have a good chat?" Duo asked icily. Heero stopped scowling in confusion before remembering the reason he was back on the ship.  
  
"Trasporters do not work on their own," Heero dead panned before he left. He heard Duo's soft foot falls as he ran to catch up.  
  
"Hey, don't change the subject," Duo said, his voice still icy. "How is Ass-andra doing? Do you have a date worked out later? Or are the two of you scheming to take over the ship?" His voice had taken on hints of anger with the ice.  
  
Heero blinked, trying to understand why Duo was angry at him or why he would think Cassandra would try to take over her own ship. Or why Duo would think that Heero would date the woman... or any woman for that matter.  
  
"I don't understand," Heero dead panned. The elevator doors finally opened and closed. In a flash they were on the top floor. "Cassandra would not take over her own ship nor would I date her. She is in the middle of an important project, as well as refining Gundamium."  
  
"WHAT?" Duo screeched. Heero moved his hand to the trasporters controls and contacted Quatre.  
  
//Are you ready to energize?// He questioned.  
  
//Yes, what took you so long?// Quatre asked back.  
  
//Duo found something interesting// Heero stated as he started the energizing process. //Once the compartments are filled I will target your staffs//  
  
//Roger// Quatre responded.  
  
"Heero," Duo questioned once Heero's white crystal of mind had stopped glowing.  
  
"Hn," Heero acknowledge.  
  
"Why is Cassandra refining Gundanium?" Duo asked. Heero looked into Duo's wide purple orbs. His eyes traced the lines around them and memorized their exact pattern and color. Duo was unbelievably sexy, especially in those leathers he insisted on wearing. But those cloths were not as tight as they had been when Heero left and dark bags hung under Duo's eyes.  
  
"Because you asked for it," Heero stated. All sorts of emotions flew through Duo's eyes before he broke contact. Heero didn't understand Duo, but a small part of him wanted to. But Duo would never want that kind of contact, he had Quatre and that was that. Heero's carefully place controls set them selves as his training buried the emotions that were trying to make them selves known. The quiet suddenly became awkward, Duo's silence felt wrong.  
  
"Meet me in the mess hall in ten minutes, you must eat," Heero dead panned as he turned back to the controls. The three still on the planet were waiting to beam up. Heero felt more than heard Duo leave as he beamed the three up, they appeared on the platform in front of him, unlike the refined heat which had been beamed directly to the cargo holds.  
  
"Where's Duo?" Quatre questioned.  
  
"Mess hall," Heero stated. Although he didn't know for sure that his orders had been followed he was almost positive.  
  
"Good idea. If everything is secure than we can all meet down there and eat," Quatre said cheerfully. Heero gave Quatre sine that it was and the four headed down to the mess hall. Duo's face brightened as Heero entered and then slightly lessened at the sight of Quatre... no that was Heero's imagination, it had to be. Duo and Quatre were together and that is the way it went.  
  
"Cat! You won't believe what I found!" Duo said as he launched in to an explanation of the room and a very long and dramatic version of how he found it. Finally he caught them up the present. "So now I'm working with Gundanium to build my own fighter! It's going to be a combination of magic and technology."  
  
"Do you have it planed out already?" Wufei asked, genuinely interested.  
  
"Yes I do," Duo said proudly. "And I have already started building some of the parts. Oh and get this, Heero told me today that any parts I need Cassandra will get for me. Cuz things like Gundanium can't be replicated," Duo said and nodded.  
  
Heero followed Duo and the rest down to the lowest level to look at the parts he had built and the design.  
  
"Well, this is a good idea but you will be hyper extending the left leg unless you move it up, and with Dernacum as the explosive in the arm shot could blow off your arm," Trowa stated. "It would be more efficient to leave them either filled in or with Venius in small doses."  
  
"Trowa, I didn't know that you cared!" Duo said in false drama. "Hey if I could get all of your impute in each area than we could design the ultimate weapon! Will Cassandra get us enough supplies to build five of them?" Duo suddenly asked, giving Heero puppy dog eyes. Heero's face didn't change although his insides tried to melt, failed but tried.  
  
//Yes, after I approve the schematics// Cassandra stated in Heero's mind.  
  
"Once she has approved the schematic," Heero passed on. Duo jumped for joy, almost dumping over his tray of food. Trowa even looked excited for him as Wufei started giving his impute.  
  
It took three days for the Gundanium fighters to be approved by Cassandra, and in the end although the basics for each one were similar they were going to be very different. And Duo was forced to agree that he would not work on his Gundam, as they were being called, 24/7. That he would take eating, sleeping and bridge duty breaks.  
  
201 days until discovery –  
  
"Trowa, will you hold this," Quatre grunted as he pushed on two parts of his Gundam that he needed to weld together. The welder was just out of reach and he needed two hands to use it.  
  
"Here," Trowa said as he slipped up behind Quatre, his staff now in one hand. His fire crystal glowed on his staff and he formed the intense heat needed to weld the parts together in his palm. Quatre was thankful Trowa was at his back; both his face and nether regions were reacting to Trowa's body so close behind him.  
  
Trowa was done welding all too soon and went back to his work on the wiring in one of his Gundam's arms. Quatre wished that he had fire magic for a moment and then looked to see if he needed to do more welding, but alas he could handle the rest of the leg he was working on himself. With a sie he got down to it.  
  
When it was nearing his time for bridge duty Quatre took up his staff and headed for the bridge. It was time he talked to some one about this crush. He had had it from the moment he set eyes on Trowa's tall form but the man expressed no interest in him. Duo was waiting for him and was immediately concerned when Quatre walked in.  
  
"Q-chan, what's wrong," Duo asked. His voice carried concern for his friend.  
  
"Duo... do you have a sexual preference?" Quatre asked. He had decided to make sure Duo wasn't homophobic before he tried to get comfort out of his braided friend.  
  
"Well, I consider myself bie. But truthfully I've never had a relationship, being a demon thrown out of town and all," Duo stated sheepishly. Quatre nodded, too stuck in his own dilemma to react.  
  
"I need to talk to some one about this," Quatre stated as he tried to get up the nerve to talk to Duo.  
  
"You have a major crush on Trowa?" Duo asked playfully. Quatre went beat red and sunk into one of the bridges big padded chairs.  
  
"How did you know?" Quatre squeaked once he had calmed down enough to make a sound.  
  
"It's obvious. You spend a lot of time with him, and you're always doing things for him and you have even dropped some subtle hints. Only a blind man wouldn't notice," Duo said, also taking a seat across from Quatre.  
  
"It can't be that obvious sense you seem to be the only one seeing it," Quatre mumbled. Duo's laugh was ironic and Quatre immediately picked up the feeling. "What's so ironic?"  
  
"Well, sense you're telling me I might was well tell you. I really want to get into Heero's pants, but the man doesn't pick up on a thing... and I think he's into either you or Cassandra or both," Duo said. His voice was teasing but Quatre could sense the pain behind his words.  
  
"Oh Duo," Quatre said as he stood and embraced his friend. Duo hugged Quatre back and closed his eyes but Quatre suddenly stiffed and moved away from Duo, which in turn made Duo open his eyes. Movement at the door caught his attention as Heero's form turned to leave.  
  
"Shit, it's not what it looks like..." Duo started but Heero was long gone. Quatre bit his lip as Duo sunk back into a chair. "Oh and I always seem to say the wrong thing when I'm around Heero. And he consistently comes in to rooms at the worst possible moments," Duo bitterly added.  
  
"But Duo, I felt hurt from Heero when he came around," Quatre said. "He has to feel something for you to be hurt," Quatre added, his voice perking up a little.  
  
"Ya, he's probably jealous of me for being with you," Duo said his voice almost defeated. Quatre blinked. Heero liked him?  
  
"Duo, what makes you think that?" Quatre asked.  
  
"Well he always says things like, Quatre would worry. Or his god damn logic," Duo said.  
  
"Duo I really don't think Heero has any feelings for me," Quatre said. "My empathy has never picked up anything but respect from him."  
  
"Really? What about Cassandra?" Duo asked, his voice gaining hope.  
  
"Honestly, I don't know about Cassandra. When ever they are communicating it is blocked from me completely. But when ever she is mentioned Heero's emotions are blank," Quatre said, trying to be helpful. Duo sunk down in the seat after a few moments he looked up.  
  
"So why don't you just scope out Trowa with your empathy?" Duo asked.  
  
"Trowa shows more on his face than he will admit to him self. I always have to actually pry to get a sense of his emotions and I don't want to start a relationship like that," Quatre quietly stated. The two fell into silence and Quatre looked out the front of the ship. The stars were slowly moving around them as their next planet came closer and closer, the next day they would be landing on 02 to trade the heat for cold. Duo's laugh brought him back to reality.  
  
"I have spent most of my time thinking that Heero wouldn't give me a thought because he was stuck on you... I should have just asked you earlier," Duo stated. "I think you should ask Trowa. He's always so protective of you and he supports every decision you make, it could be that that it the only way that he knows how to communicate his feelings."  
  
"But, what if that's wrong! And he really is just being protective of me because I am important or agreeing because it is also his opinion," Quatre voiced.  
  
"Than at least you will know the truth and not be stuck on it," Duo said.  
  
"Than you have to do it too, no hypocrites," Quatre said, his eyes lighting at the idea. Duo tried to shrink into his chair.  
  
"Well, I'd rather live believing that I have a chance," Duo stated quietly. As long as I can just be around him, although it is driving me insane, it should be enough," Duo said more bodily. "Now I am off duty and want to go work on Deathscythe, besides Heero will be working on Wing at the same time," Duo puffed up.  
  
Quatre laughed as he watched Duo's retreating form. At least now he had someone to share his frustrations with; a person who also had the same trouble.  
  
113 days until discovery –  
  
"Maxwell!" Wufei shouted as he began scrubbing the bright offensive substance off his Gundam.  
  
"Chang!" Duo yelled back in mock anger. Wufei's eyes bugged and in a flash his katana was in hand and Duo was running for his life.  
  
"Chill out Fei, it was just a joke not harm done," Duo yelled behind him as he bolted away, not really paying attention to where he was going.  
  
"Just a joke! How dare you defile Nataku with your dirty vile hands! Come back here and fight me like a man," Wufei yelled forward. Wufei slowed down as Duo skidded around a corner before making the same quick turn.  
  
"Give me a break, pudding washes off just fine, and Nataku really needed some facial hair," Duo laughed.  
  
"Maxwell!" Wufei yelled again unable to think of anything more intelligent over his anger. Wufei suddenly slid to a halt as Duo's form slipped around a corner and Wufei registered where he was. Engineering... Heero's domain. Wufei peeled his eyes and looked around for the soldier.  
  
Heero was dangerous. He didn't like to be touched, and had nearly killed almost everyone on the ship as they were getting used to it. His muscles were beyond trained; they were conditioned to react in one way and one way only. Any touch not in his control was bad and there for stopped and punished.  
  
"Heero, oh Heero I'm so glad you're here. Wufei is trying to kill me with his Katana again," Duo complained from above. Wufei looked up. Heero was on the second floor and Duo had used his monkey like climbing skills to easily scale the nets and latter's that Heero had put up to more easily get around than the lifts.  
  
"Baka," Wufei barely heard Heero's response. He was facing into his computer terminals working on something and Duo had placed the deadly magic wheeler right in between them... although Duo was keeping his distance as well.  
  
"This isn't over Maxwell!" Wufei yelled up. He turned to go work on his Gundam again and didn't listen to Duo's baiting of 'I know Chang!'  
  
The braided youth had become impossible the last few weeks. The Gundams were getting closer to completion, it would probably be another few weeks and then they could start test flying and then sparring. And Wufei attributed his antics to exactly that, anticipation.  
  
Wufei walked into bay five and a half, still mumbling about injustices and the rest. They had created a door in the wall and cleaned up Duo's explosion. He looked up just in time to see Trowa remove his hand from Quatre's waist and the two move apart, a slight pink to Quatre's face.  
  
Wufei narrowed his eyes and stopped mumbling to himself as he studied the two. Quatre and Trowa, they had been slowly getting closer sense the beginning... were they a couple now? Wufei stopped starring and went back to Nataku, he didn't want to think about it. What Quatre and Trowa did was there business and it didn't concern him. Although Wufei was most defiantly straight he wasn't narrow, he just didn't like to think about those kinds of things too much.  
  
"Nataku, what have I gotten myself into?" Wufei quietly asked his Gundam. It was coming along. Most of the major wiring was done and now he was connecting it all to the cock pit as he attached the peaces. His Gundam was a little more difficult sense he chose to put a flame thrower in one of the arms which put the Gundam off balance but he was compensating and his Gundam would work smoothly.  
  
96 days until discovery –  
  
Heero softly grunted as his leg turned over for a side kick before coming down in an elbow smash. His body flowed like water as it easily remembered its years of patterns and martial arts training. He had stripped down to a pair of black gie pants that he had replicated, and that was it.  
  
His daily workouts had become a consistent heaven from the madness that seemed to surround his new life with people. Heero didn't mind Trowa or Wufei. On occasion Wufei would bother Heero when he started talking about religion and philosophy... Heero had no interest in those subjects.  
  
It was Duo primarily who rattled his carefully constructed barriers. The braided baka constantly tested his control on both his physical and emotional self. Duo seemed to think it was a game – to see how close he could get to Heero before Heero would react. But to Heero, it was unnerving... especially the first time Duo had gotten so close as to touch him.  
  
Quatre had given both Heero and Duo cleaning duty for the next two weeks; Heero for breaking Duo's arm in half and Duo for provoking him. Heero brought his leg down hard in an ax kick before spinning around into a 360 hook kick followed with a combination crescent kick.  
  
"Wow, that's beautiful!" Duo's voice interrupted Heero's concentration. Heero turned to Duo and gave him a death glare promising future injuries. "Jeez chill out man," Duo said as he walked into the room ignoring the danger. The door hissed shut behind him and Heero suddenly realized that Duo had stripped down to just gei pants as well.  
  
"Duo?" Heero quested. No-longer angry but confused. Duo had his back to Heero and his mouth began babbling.  
  
"Well I was raised in an orphanage and I got into a lot of fights but I only learned cuz if you don't learn you get hit. And there were all the kids to protect and my honor, which was shit anyway, but anyway I really wanted to learn a formal way to fight and I asked some of the mages that knew how but they all told me that I would not use it for good so they wouldn't teach me..."  
  
"Duo," Heero snapped. His one haven had been invaded by a babbling idiot. "Are you trying to ask me to teach you martial arts?"  
  
"Yes," Duo stated. He turned to Heero, the light end of a blush viable on his face. Heero raked his hand through his hair. Why couldn't Duo have just asked him?  
  
"Just ask me if you want something. Are you warm?" Heero dead panned. His face and voice in more control than his inner anger. Duo's eyes became big a watery and he clasped his hands in front of his chest.  
  
"In more ways than one!" Duo said cheerfully as he literally bounced over to Heero. Heero shook his head, how was it possible to be warm more than just physically?  
  
"Fine," Heero said, choosing not to voice his question. "Than you must stretch out first, just follow my lead," Heero dead panned. He sad down and put his legs in front of him, easily folding him self in half to stretch his leg muscles. Heero turned his head to look at Duo; he was surprised that Duo was just as limber as him. Heero watched Duo perform several basic kicks and punches. Correcting him where he needed it, but it was little nit picky details.  
  
"You are sure you have no training?" Heero asked. Duo nodded, still holding up his leg in chamber position like Heero had told him to do. Heero studied Duo's form for a moment; Duo had been holding the chamber for almost a minute with out even wiggling from imbalance, his kicks where high and executed exactly how Heero explained them to him.  
  
Suddenly Duo tiled and Heero instinctively reached out to stop the baka from falling. Duo barely caught himself and ended up putting his entire weight onto Heero, his foot cramping and giving out before he could put his chambered leg down. Heero felt Duo's weight in his arms. Duo was not light but he was not heavy, Heero suddenly felt a warmth in his stomach, his emotions once again trying to take over his mind.  
  
Heero looked for a focus to help him burry his emotions and his cobalt blue met with bright purple. Heero couldn't break away as those eyes seemed to take over his sight, feeding the emotional side of his inner fight. Heero felt Duo's body seem to come closer to him and suddenly the purple eyes were the only thing in his vision as warm lips lightly brushed his own.  
  
Heero's mind couldn't handle the emotions his heart and hormones were sending him and his muscles took over. The next thing Heero knew he was standing alone, Duo's body weight was gone. Heero looked at the wall, a small dent was in it and his eyes slowly moved to the ground where Duo's unconscious form lay.  
  
"Duo?" Heero question. He immediately growled at himself for even speaking. Duo was unconscious, no one, especially Duo, could lay that still. Heero double checked that his emotions were banished back to where they belonged before walking over to the unconscious boy.  
  
Heero checked for a pulse, it was strong and steady. But Duo already had a bruise starting on one of his shoulder and back, the back of his head must have been slammed against the wall. Heero scooped Duo up into his arms and quickly walked to the infirmary.  
  
Quatre face paled as Heero lay Duo on one of the beds.  
  
"What happened?" Quatre asked. He looked accusingly at Heero. Heero kept his face blank.  
  
"Duo made contact at high speed with a wall, I believe that he hit his shoulder, back and head," Heero dead panned.  
  
"You believe, Heero you pushed him into the wall," Quatre stated angrily. Heero felt those emotions try to sneak back up on him. Most he couldn't even identify as he fought and conquered them. "Heero, are you ok?" Quatre asked, the anger gone from his voice. Heero nodded and turned to leave.  
  
"Heero, don't lie to me," Quatre stated, his voice hurt. Heero turned his face blank.  
  
"Duo tried to kiss me, and my mind checked out and my muscles took control. I can not remember what I did, all I remember is being kissed and the Duo lying on the floor," Heero said quietly. His moved his hand up to his lips and touched them, as if they held the answer he was looking for. "I told Duo not to come around me, maybe he will listen now," Heero dead panned. He turned and walked quickly out of the room before Quatre could use any more of his empathy to influence his carefully placed controls.  
  
Heero growled to him self and took a quick shower. He easily went into the Gundam room, Trowa was quietly working and only nodded to Heero before going back to what he was doing. Heero quickly engrossed himself in Wing, he absently went over Wing's plans once again with Cassandra. She was like him, emotionless and logic driven, it was good to get his mind off emotions.  
  
93 days until discovery –  
  
Trowa watched as Duo, dressed in only gei pants, walked into Heero's workout session. He was surprised when he felt arms go around his waist.  
  
"Duo and I talked about it and he is going to pretend that nothing happened," Quatre said, muffled by Trowa's top. Trowa set his arms over Quatre's arms.  
  
"And what is happening now?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Heero is his normal blank self and Duo is still full of emotion turmoil. But it looks like Heero is going to let him stay this time, although I bet he isn't going to work Duo too hard just incase," Quatre said as he giggled.  
  
"Was that the right advice?" Trowa asked, speaking about Duo's choice to ignore the entire thing.  
  
"Trowa! I would never give anyone that advice. I told him to confront Heero about it. Sense Heero obviously didn't object to the kiss and was worried about Duo," Quatre hiss angrily. Trowa's gut sunk.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't think that you did give out that advice," Trowa apologized.  
  
"I'm sorry I snapped, I'm just picking up Heero and Duo's emotions, lets go to a quieter area of the ship," Quatre asked as he moved to Trowa's side. Trowa put his arm around Quatre's shoulders, letting his hand squeeze the blonds shoulder. Quatre snuggled into the embrace and the two walked toward the garden/library area. Wufei was on bridge duty so the room was empty and quiet.  
  
The two say with dimmed lights on one of the rich brown couches. Quatre opened his mouth to ask a question, but Trowa's mouth was on his own before Quatre could speak. Trowa kissed his passionately and deep, his hands moving to explore Quatre's back and sides. Trowa's hands moved down lower but before they could get anywhere Quatre broke the kiss, gasping for air.  
  
"Trowa," Quatre said, his voice was lower than normal and gruff. Trowa looked down at Quatre's crystal blue orbs, they were tired and confused. Without warring Quatre lifted his other hand and moved Trowa's bangs away from his other eye. As if hit Trowa flinched back, letting his bangs fall back into place; his emotions reflecting his actions.  
  
"Don't, please," Trowa said, not moving closer to Quatre. Trowa looked at the blond, who he had trusted, the pain in his chest was hurt... the hurt he had been afraid of. It had taken Quatre months to help Trowa get over his fear and trying having a relation ship. As of yet they had done nothing but kiss and go on 'dates' where they each did nice things for each other. But Trowa had still started to invest his emotions in the situation and it hurt that Quatre would betray his wishes by trying to look at the eye Trowa had asked him not to ask about.  
  
"Trowa, you can trust me," Quatre said, trying not to cry. Despite his efforts his voice cracked slightly. "I won't hurt you... I was just curious. Please I won't try again," Quatre almost begged. Trowa looked into Quatre's eyes and was surprised by what he saw there, emotions off all kinds were flying around, hurt, anger, humiliation, pain...  
  
"Trowa, there are too many," Quatre said. Suddenly Trowa realized what was going on. Quatre was not him self, his empathy was over riding his senses. Trowa suddenly realized that he could loose his friend – the first person who cared about him and just wasn't trying to use him – and put his arms around Quatre.  
  
The blond curled up into his lap and cried him self to sleep, Trowa was at a loss of what to do so he chose to hold Quatre. The blond had to fight his own battles.  
  
93 days until discovery –  
  
Duo was positively distraught when he came to relieve Wufei of Bridge duty. Not only did he smell like a gym and was sprouting sever impressive bruises on his chest but he barely managed to babble something about Quatre in Wufei's sanctuary and then yell at Wufei asking him why he wasn't going to check it out.  
  
Wufei had taken the not so subtle hint and quickly headed out. With in a moment, in record time, he was in his sanctuary and starring at the two on the couch. Trowa was sitting with Quatre curled in his lap, his pants soaked with the boy's tears. It took Wufei less than a second to see that Quatre was emotionally over loaded. "Trowa, I need you to leave. Quatre needs some time away from you," Wufei said icily. Trowa nodded his stoic face show nothing of what he was thinking. Wufei watched his back as he walked out of the room and trough the sliding doors.  
  
With the room cleared out Wufei quickly made a mind shield around him self and Quatre. He easily sat on the floor, legs crossed and waited for the blond to come around. It didn't take long for Quatre's tired mind to wake up from his over load.  
  
"Wufei, where's Trowa... I messed up..." Quatre said, trying to hold back tears.  
  
"Quatre, you must stop trying to help people with their emotions," Wufei stated. He ignored Quatre's comment about Trowa.  
  
"But they are all hurting..." Quatre started.  
  
"Than let them hurt, it's the only way they will learn," Wufei interrupted. "Look Quatre, until you learn to let others deal with their own emotions I will not let you out of here."  
  
"But I need to go, I hurt Trowa," Quatre desperately said, his body moving pleadingly toward Wufei.  
  
"Trowa is a man, he understands... if it is that imperative, than you will just have to swear to stop hurting yourself. Reading emotions is one thing but trying to lesson them by putting them on your self is another. Quatre you must see reason. In two months we must start telling the planets of the voidus' failure. We need you for that and we need you as a friend," Wufei said his voice sincere.  
  
Wufei faugh down his feelings of anger as tears appeared in Quatre's eyes. Quatre was weak now, because of Trowa, he was normally strong. Everyone had trouble every once and a while. Wufei started repeating this in his mind as Quatre cried. It eventually turned to sniffles and then to quiet hiccups.  
  
"Thank you Wufei, I needed that. I will stop, you are right. Heero and Duo will learn if they start feeling the full tilt of their hurt... especially Heero. I just didn't want Duo to get hurt physically and he was so sad after he kissed Heero and Heero pushed him away like that," Quatre started to ramble and then stopped.  
  
"I'm gland you have chosen the just path," Wufei stated blankly.  
  
"Wufei, what's wrong?" Quatre asked. Wufei narrowed his eyes. "You seem uncomfortable when I talk about Duo and Heero... oh. I'm sorry I didn't realize that male male relation ships make you uncomfortable."  
  
"Just keep your promise. They don't make me uncomfortable exactly," Wufei stated. Before Quatre could continue his pestering Wufei released the mental shield and stormed out of the room. Maybe Heero would be up for some sparring, they didn't spar very often because every time they didn't stop until some one was unconscious but right now he really needed the stress relief.  
  
89 days until discovery –  
  
"I can't believe I messed up so bad!" Quatre sadly said.  
  
"God you sound like me," Duo responded. The two took big spoonfuls of their ice-cream and gulped them down.  
  
"Do you ever wish you could turn back time?" Quatre asked, his words slightly slurred because of his num mouth.  
  
"Yeha, every day. I just can't say the right thing or do anything rite. And now he's afraid to push me or get near me to help me out!" Duo whined.  
  
"At least he's still teaching you," Quatre said, forcing the tears out of his eyes with more ice-cream. "Trowa hasn't even said a word to me!" Quatre couldn't stop the tears as he pushed away the ice-cream. "He won't acknowledge my presents unless it's an order, and even then he won't look me in the eye."  
  
"Cat," Duo said as he moved over and gave Quatre a hug. Quatre wetted his bare shoulder for his troubles. "We'll just have to keep working at it. Trowa will come to trust you again, don't give up hope."  
  
"I know Duo, I just need some time... and some more ice-cream," Quatre said as he picked up the container that he had been eating out of. Duo laughed and the two ate in silent heart ach.  
  
mtc 


	9. Interludes of a year part 2

AN: Life has gotten busy on Thursdays so for now updates will be on Fridays... it will change again when my job(s) start. Sorry.

Companions of a kind – Interludes of a year 2  
  
62 days until discovery –  
  
"Its time we start warning the planets of the voidus failing," Quatre stated. "There are only a few more months before the calculated date and we need to start patrolling the border when that date comes."  
  
"I agree, but we must do it in complete neutrality," Wufei stated. "Which means that no planet can be favored with the information first."  
  
"We already screwed that up, 01's known this entire time!" Duo exclaimed.  
  
"I do not believe that 01 has any interest in starting the war over, and so will work with us to help keep that a secret if needed," Trowa stated. Duo watched hopefully as Quatre tried to look Trowa in the eye but it was no use, Trowa would not. Not even in a stupid meeting that had nothing to do with their personal lives.  
  
"That's it! I can't concentrate with all of this!" Wufei suddenly bellowed. "Heero we are going to spar, Duo you take the bridge. Quatre and Trowa, if you come out of this room before this is worked out one way or another I will personally tie the two you together in the brig... we do have one. Don't you concern yourselves with that. Duo, march."  
  
"But I want to watch you get your ass pounded," Duo wined as he winked at Quatre. Quatre was white as a sheet, and looked like he was going to pass out. Duo looked away before his heart could tell him to help his friend. This was getting ridiculous, both Quatre and Trowa were acting like scared Teenagers.  
  
Duo walked out the door and the minute he was out he dashed for the bridge. Not two seconds later his staff was seated in the staff hole that Wufei had invented to add several magical weapons and gadgets, including one that let any of the five magic users hear anywhere on the ship.  
  
_Trowa_... silence, Duo sat down with his feet on the consul in front of him.  
  
_Trowa, I've missed you_, Quatre's voice, sad but calm. _Have you missed me?... I guess not. If it makes any difference, I truly am sorry. I could use the excuse that I wasn't in control and it would be valid but that won't help you trust me again.  
_  
Silence, for a moment Duo thought that they had both died or something. He could have heard a pin drop.  
  
_Why?_ That was Trowa's voice. Although it was still its usual monotone, there was a slight barely audible waver in it.  
  
_Because I wanted to help you... I want to help you. I just, I care about you so much that I didn't know what to do. And everyone around me was hurting and I thought that of anyone I could help you, because you mater more to me that any of the others. I just... wasn't thinking clearly._ Duo felt tears sting the corners of his eyes and his grabbed his braid and put it in his mouth. Quatre was putting his heart on the table here and it was Trowa's to sooth or kill.  
  
_Trowa I love you and I want you back, will you give me another chance?  
_  
The silence started again and Duo strained to hear what was going on; the scraping of a chair, the hissing of a door then the soft crying of someone. Duo was even faster getting back to the meeting room and his arms were around Quatre before anyone could blink.  
  
"Its Ok Q, its gona be ok. He just needs sometime to think," Duo soothed. Quatre's crying only got harder and Duo felt a few sympathy tears slide out of his eyes.  
  
62 days until discovery –  
  
Trowa didn't know why his feet took him to the bridge but he immediately regretted it as Quatre's soft cries filled his ears. Trowa's heart tried to lurch to this throat but he wouldn't let it. He fell into one of the chairs and dropped his head into his hands. His head filled with Quatre's sadness and his own self loathing.  
  
What had Quatre really done? Tried to look at something Trowa had specifically told him to leave alone. Trowa had trusted Quatre in his personal space, he had wanted Quatre in his personal space, but it had gone so wrong.  
  
Was it really what Quatre had done that hurt? Or was it that the hurt of old had come back to haunt him. Trowa felt a bitter laugh rip from his throat. Then suddenly an arm wrapped around his arm and painfully dragged him up. Quatre's cries were suddenly gone as Wufei pulled Duo's staff out of the staff hole.  
  
"Man the Bridge," Heero dead panned. Trowa absently nodded until he realized that Heero was pulling him out of the bridge and the comment was meant for Wufei. It felt like eternity before the arm stopped its tugging and Trowa found himself in his and Heero's quarters.  
  
"Get a hold of your self," Heero stated. Trowa looked up at Heero, as he looked the man over he saw the bruises and cuts that covered his half clad form. Then he remembered that Wufei had been standing and had apparently walked to the bridge. "Quatre was worried about you and broke Wufie's mental barriers to make us stop and check on you... the first good idea he's has had sense the two of you started arguing," Heero stated. Trowa was surprised to hear a hint of anger in Heero's voice.  
  
"I," Trowa said. Suddenly his thoughts were having trouble making sense as they circled in his head. "I don't know if I can try again," Trowa stated, sadness trying to break through his stoic mask.  
  
"Then talk to Quatre about why you can't," Heero dead panned, his voice once again under control.  
  
"Quatre would have no interest in me if he knew my past," Trowa stated sadly.  
  
"Get out of your depression; we need both you and Quatre to finish this mission! Just talk to the man! He will understand, there is nothing Quatre won't forgive your for... if that is what you are looking for," Heero stated. Trowa looked up and met his good friend's eyes. That understanding and companionship suddenly filled part of the aching hole in his chest, and Trowa felt his mind regain control of its flying emotions.  
  
"I have been acting stupid, if he doesn't understand I am not stuck here, I can always go back to my own planet," Trowa reasoned, but for some reason that idea hurt more than loosing Quatre. This was his home, his friends, his life and his love. Trowa loved Quatre, he just was afraid of the emotion.  
  
Trowa didn't remember hearing Heero leave but the soft knock at his door brought him back to reality.  
  
"Trowa?" Quatre's horse quiet voice questioned. "Heero said that you wanted to talk to me."  
  
Trowa looked down at his hands... had he said that? He couldn't remember now.  
  
"Come in, I would like to speak with you," Trowa stated. His voice was dead, his body tired of all the emotions that had been running through it. Quatre seemed so small as his red blotched face tried to sneak into the room to sit on Heero's bed, across from Trowa. Trowa knew that he needed to start this conversation but all of his words left him.  
  
"Quatre, there are things that you don't know about me and I am afraid that you will not want to be with me if you know them. I don't have the ability to trust, so I need your patients. But if you will give them to me, than I would also like to try again," Trowa said very slowly, tasting each word before he said it.  
  
Quatre seemed hesitant for a moment but slowly got up and sat down next to Trowa, not touching, just next to.  
  
"I will have as much patients as you need," Quatre said quietly. Trowa felt as if a weight had lifted from his chest and he moved closer to Quatre and put his arms around the blond to hold him tight. He had missed this feeling, god he hopped to never miss it again.  
  
59 days until discovery –  
  
"So we will use the Gundams," Quatre stated. He meat each of his friends eyes around the table. "Duo will remain at the ship while we take the news to each planet at the same time except 01, because they already have it."  
  
"This is so not fair fore me!" Duo complained.  
  
"Duo you can stay and practice flying Deathscythe here, we will even leave you things to blow up and practice using the weapons on," Quatre said coaxingly.  
  
"It's still not fair," Duo stated.  
  
"Duo, you are the only one of us no one has ever seen and you carry a staff with necromancy as your primary power," Heero dead panned. Duo turned to him and glared. Heero ignored him.  
  
"Than it's settled," Quatre stated. "When the ship begins to orbit the sun each of us will go out with the necessary information, keep your staffs with you and if anything happens keep in contact. Duo will act as – absolutely if there is no other way to save your skin - back up."  
  
"Hey, you don't have to rub it in Q-jerk!" Duo growled.  
  
"Alright get your Gundam's ready then, we will be in the sun's orbit within the day," Quatre said, ending the meeting. Duo wrinkled his nose but followed Heero out of the room and into bay five and a half. It looked much better than when they had first found it.  
  
Quatre and Wufei had organized and cleaned out the entire thing. Next to the supply bins was a list that ever time some one needed something they wrote it down and the list was turned into Cassandra every three days. Except for every three days, 'lists days' as he had started calling them he often times forgot the woman existed. Oh and except when Quatre made one of his faces that meant Heero was talking with the bitch.  
  
Duo turned his attention to the Gudnams. The five giant structures took up the entire room, luckily there was a door that let them out, they didn't have to blow another hole in the wall. The Gundam's were based on human form, but with more Egyptian features, the block's giving more flat surface area for spells to be written and stored.  
  
Technically the room wasn't big enough to store the giant machines, but with a little magical creativity and the five of their powers combined the room was not so easily spelled to fit what ever they wanted in it, don't ask about the physics... its magic!  
  
"Need any help," Duo asked Heero as he came over.  
  
"I don't want anyone touching my Gundam," Heero dead panned as his hands worked at a mini computer that was hooked up to the machine.  
  
"I was just wondering," Duo muttered. He slowly moseyed over to his own Gundam and began checking him over, with out thinking about it Duo started talking to Deathscythe. He was the best listener after all.  
  
"Hey, could you keep it down over there?" Heero's voice called out after a time. Duo's face went red and he looked up from his sitting position at the sky, as if asking for divine help. He wasn't backing down this time.  
  
"No, I can't. You won't talk to me, so I'm gona talk to Deathscythe... he has more personality!" Duo exclaimed. Heero was over and kneeling over Duo faster than Duo could blink, both of their staffs were seated in their Gundams, the staffs being both the main weapons and power source.  
  
"Really," Heero dead panned, his face right in Duo's. Duo didn't know weather his body shivered in fear or because Heero was practically on top of him.  
  
"Y, ye, yes," Duo stuttered. Heero looked deep into Duo's eyes, making Duo's insides melt. Then suddenly Heero was leaving, his body moving off Duo's. Duo panicked, Heero had seen something in Duo's eyes, but Duo wanted to make sure it was the right something. With out a thought to his own safety Duo grabbed Heero's arm and gripped Heero's lips fully in his own.  
  
Heero's lips were reluctant at first but then they began participating, moving slightly with Duo's. Duo felt the moment Heero's brain caught up with his emotions as his body went sailing through the air and pain laced through his side. Duo smiled as his world turned to black, Heero wanted him. Heero just needed to know that.  
  
Duo groaned as his eyes opened to the bright lights of the infirmary.  
  
"Good your awake, you and Heero are both on cleaning duty for the next week," Quatre's voice said, full of relief. "Here drink this," Quatre said as he handed Duo a steaming mug of bitter smelling herbs.  
  
"No," Duo stated at the smell. His head ach was not that bad.  
  
"Drink it now Duo! We are running behind because of your actions and I need you on the bridge now!" Quatre said desperately. Duo suddenly noticed Heero's presents out of the corner of his eye, with out a word he chugged down the stuff and sputtered at its taste.  
  
"Water," Duo mooned. "It's burning, oh it burns!"  
  
"Get to the bridge," Quatre firmly said as he gave Duo a glass of water. He had already prepared it; this wasn't Duo's first time taking medicine. With that Quatre shoved Duo out of sick bay. "Heero make sure he gets there," Quatre said as he headed in the opposite direction. Duo coughed his last mouthful of water and almost dropped the cup. Heero didn't make a move to help Duo with his predicament.  
  
"Yo, He-san," Duo said once his coughing fit was done.  
  
"Hn," Heero responded. If one could classify that as a response.  
  
"You don't have to sound so enthusiastic," Duo said sarcastically. He paused for a moment gathering his thoughts; he was not going to back down, in-fact he was going to go for the gold! "Heero when I kissed you back there... you kissed me back," Duo stated.  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted to show that he was listening.  
  
"Well, you did. I felt it," Duo defended. He waited for Heero to speak but when he didn't Duo continued, his voice a little annoyed. "Look, I think you are sexy as hell and I want to kiss you again and more often and even go further. But I don't want our every encounter to end with me in sick bay... do you understand?" Duo asked. His voice got a little shy at the end. His mind kept telling him that it was better to just keep thinking that Heero wanted him and not to bet it all... but Duo was a betting man.  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted. Duo stopped and turned his whole body tense.  
  
"I open my heart to you and all you have to say is Hn?" Duo imitated. He looked into Heero's slightly narrowed eyes, trying to guess what was going on in their blue depths.  
  
"I don't know how to respond," Heero finally dead panned. Heero suddenly began walking again, Duo couldn't remember stopping.  
  
"Follow your emotions," Duo stated. He wanted to put his arm around Heero, but the youth's posture said that Duo would regret that action.  
  
"I don't under stand that form of data. I was trained to be the perfect soldier, the feelings that you inflict upon my body are new and unwelcome," Heero dead panned. Duo felt his heart fall as his feet began dragging.  
  
"I see, thank you for being truthful with me," Duo very quietly said. He was surprised when Heero dropped back to his pace. "I just thought that sense you reacted I had a chance... maybe a little one. It's more than just your looks; something about you just draws my attention. Its like looking in a mirror and having your complete opposite look back at you. But still understand you in some small way. Jeez I am babbling again," Duo said. He started to bring his hand up to his face to wipe away the tears that he was trying desperately to hold back. Before his had could reach Duo felt and saw Heero's light brown one come up and wipe the tear from one of his eyes.  
  
"You cry easily," Heero stated as he studied the tear on his finger.  
  
"Ya, I bet you would to if your heart was broken... I know you have one in there," Duo mumbled.  
  
"I have cried," Heero dead panned as he wiped the tear on to his pants. "I don't remember the emotion, only the fact. When I was taken from my parents," Heero stated. Duo looked up in surprise just as the doors to the bridge hissed opened. "I will return with in the next few days along with the others. Each of us are leaving communication devices on each planet but they will all be tracked through this ship. If any are urgent contact one of us," Heero ordered. He turned to leave but Duo didn't want him to go. Heero had opened up to him.  
  
Duo rushed Heero's back and leaned against it. He didn't hold on, he didn't want Heero to feel too threatened. Duo felt Heero's body flinch under him as Heero's muscles started to react but they were quelled. Duo wished the moment could last forever as Heero stood still, letting Duo soak up his warmth. But it didn't, and without a word Heero walked forward, leaving Duo alone on the bridge.  
  
Duo watched Heero go and then starred at the empty space where he had been until Quatre's voice in his head reminded him that he had a job to do.  
  
Duo, you need to open the outer doors for bay five and a half. Everyone is in there Gundam's and ready to go.  
  
Yes sir!Duo responded.  
  
Duo, I just want to make sure you will be ok while we are gone... when I come back we will have time to talk....Quatre trailed off.  
  
I'll be fine, Q-ball. Just bring back some good news!Duo asked. He hoped his mental voice was cheerful. His emotions seemed to be unable to tell weather he was sad or happy or depressed or hyper or what.  
  
I will try, Sanrock outQuatre said. Duo went to the front window and watched as Trowa's Gundam, Heavyarms, zoomed in front of it... on its way to 03. Duo checked out the ship and powered it down so that he could go talk to Deathscythe.  
  
"I'm so confused," Duo said to his Gundam once seated on the opening to the cock pit. "In one breath he tells me to leave him alone and in the next he tells me stuff about his past. No one here talks about there past... except Cat, and sometimes I joke about it."  
  
Duo looked at the back of the cock pit. The smooth metal was covered in lines and crevices leading to small storage compartments, the main computer, the operating system's storage and the millions of other hardware things it took to run the machine.  
  
"Heero isn't running on a full deck," Duo suddenly laughed. "You know what he said to me... you were there so you couldn't here, I'll tell ya. He said 'I don't under stand that form of data. I was trained to be the perfect soldier, the feelings that you inflict upon my body are new and unwelcome.' He said exactly that! 'I don't understand that data," Duo said in mock monotone. Duo brought his legs into his chest, it hurt to have someone you really like reject you like that. His mind played Heero's words over and over in his head.  
  
Duo suddenly jumped up as a light bulb went on in his head.  
  
"But wait! Buddy," Duo suddenly said excitedly, using the special name he reserved for Deathscythe. "He said 'new and unwelcome' in the same sentence, as if they were connected and then tried to understand my feeling by relating to me. Oh man... but that's why I am so confused. Damn it all!" Duo kicked the air in front of him. And now the son of a bitch along with all his accomplices left him alone on a big scary ship to dwell. "Damn it all!" Duo screamed. His words echoed through out the bay, there heated emotion going unnoticed by the one they were directed at.  
  
54 days until discovery –  
  
Heero arched his back, stretching it, as he jumped out of his Gundam, the room's half gravity let him land softly on the metal ground. He did not want to think about Duo or the mission he had just returned from but it seemed like he was out of luck on both accounts.  
  
"He-man! You're the last one to come back, Quatre as called a meeting right away," Duo said excitedly as he frantically waved his hands.  
  
"Hn," Heero responded. He followed Duo to the appointed meeting chambers and easily took as seat. His clothing was dirty and he smelled like he hadn't bathed in the five days he had been out... probably because he hadn't.  
  
"I'll make this quick," Quatre stated, looking at Heero in sympathy. "Our plan as of yet it not working, none of the planets have contacted each other, only us. And 01 had told us that they will only speak with the other planets if we act as go betweens. Everyone else seems to be ignoring the situation."  
  
"We need to give them more time," Trowa stated. Wufei nodded in agreement.  
  
"Let's wait and see, it might take some time for them to digest the information," Wufei elaborated. With reluctance Quatre agreed and the five split up, Trowa went back to bridge duty with Quatre on his heals.  
  
Heero felt Duo's presents as he followed Heero to his room. Heero didn't state the obvious as he walked into his room, and then paused as Duo followed after.  
  
"Wow, it's like no one actually lives here," Duo said. "I mean the beds are made and except for a few computer parts there isn't a thing anywhere..." Heero tuned out Duo's running commentary of his room as he walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. It only took a few minute to shower before he came out feeling clean and warm for the first time in days. A towel was the only thing wrapped around his slim but muscled hips.  
  
Duo whistled in appreciation as Heero walked into his room and scowled.  
  
"I'm not gona lie it's a pretty sight," Duo said and as he nodded and racked his eyes over Heero. Heero didn't move, he had never been nervous around a person like this before and he didn't really know what to do. "And I think that those emotions you were feeling were only unwanted because they were new... so were gona fix that."  
  
Heero stiffed and looked at Duo, his eyes narrowed as if ready to defend himself.  
  
"Chill out, I'm not gona jump you," Duo laughed. "Just be ready, because those feelings that you claim are unwanted... your gona get used to them!"  
  
Heero's training began to fight with the emotions that Duo was brining out. In the end his training won and Heero, once again at ease with the world around him, easily slipped jeans on under his towel before letting it slip to the ground.  
  
He wasn't exactly sure what had passed between him and Duo but over then next few weeks he was bound to find out.  
  
30 days until discovery –  
  
"There is no communication... the planets are not interested in becoming allies," Wufei stated.  
  
"Than we need to make them understand," Quatre started to add.  
  
"No, that would break what little trust they have in us. We must start patrolling the borders and hope that action will be enough to get them moving," Heero dead panned.  
  
"I told you all that this was a bad idea from the start!" Duo stuck in.  
  
"It was not a bad idea. Because of us, the planets are more balanced and easer to live on!" Quatre stated. Duo just wanted to argue... he had been in that mood for the last few days. Apparently things were going at a snail pace with Heero and Duo just realized what he had got himself into. Quatre felt Trowa's hand on his arm.  
  
"I agree with Heero," Trowa stated. Quatre looked into his lovers eyes and nodded.  
  
"Head for the border then, we must always have some one on the bridge while on patrol and have assigned stations if the ship must go into battle."  
  
"I'll be at the helm and Heero will be in engineering," Duo stated happily.  
  
"I will take the starboard weapons panel and I would guess that Trowa will take the other," Wufei put in.  
  
"That leaves me the captions seat... I guess I already fill that position but I just wanted to be sure," Quatre said. He meat each of his crew's eyes before letting them rest on Heero.  
  
"What of Cassandra?"  
  
"She will remain where she is," Heero dead panned. Quatre whished that he would give more information but left it be. Cassandra had only helped them; the least they could do was leave her alone sense that is what she seemed to want.  
  
mtc


	10. Starfleet

Companions of a Kind – Starfleet  
  
Jean-Luc Picard considered himself to be a man with an opened mind. His experiences all over the galaxy required it. He once again reminded himself of this as he read over the orders from the Federation. Some thing had been detected smack in the middle of the neutral zone... an area that he knew very well and that defiantly did not have any thing like this in it.  
  
A passing ship had picked up signs of everything needed to be a galaxy – sun, planets and a gravitational pull between them all that seemed un affected by the pulls around it. This, according to physics, was impossible.  
  
The doorbell equivalent on his ready room door squiggled as it was pressed to alert him that some one wanted his attention.  
  
"Come in," Picard stated.  
  
"Sir, I think you should see this," Riker stated. Picard looked up at his second in command, William T. Riker. The man was not as young as he used to be but still young in comparison to Picard whose head was balding and muscles were just starting to sag. His voice was uncharacteristically serious, especially for the orders that they had been assuming were a joke.  
  
"I'll be there in a moment #1," Picard said as he closed down the computer on his desk and stood. This ready room was plain but the same as it had been for years. Mini models of the Enterprise, the ship which held them, stood in their glass case while the window behind him showed the stars that were speeding by.  
  
"Report," Picard stated once he was on the bridge, only a doorway from his ready room. The ships bridge was big and it took nine people to run it, although the ships councilor, Deanna Troi, also had an appointed seat – her telepathic abilities were invaluable.  
  
"You're not going to believe this," Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge said as he beckoned Picard over. Picard and Ricker made there way to the top of the bridge, where the four officers that worked with engineering were stationed. Geordi ran all of engineering and only came up from his engines when the situation called for it. Picard leaned down to look at the screen, the scan of what looked like a small galaxy was turning in a circle, its data running off to the left.  
  
"The ship's scans are not wrong. There is now an extremely small, but present galaxy in the middle of the neutral zone. We will be approaching it in less than 10 minutes," Geordi offered in explanation. Picard stood up from looking at the map.  
  
"I guess I haven't seen it all. Keep scanning and keep me informed as new information becomes available," Picard ordered. He looked into Geordi's visor and then looked toward the screen that was currently opened to the outside. Stars were streaking by as the ship flew at warp speed toward it destination. Picard walked past his security officer, Commander Worf's station, which was currently unoccupied before he turned to take his own chair. Riker sat on his right and councilor Troi's empty chair was on his left.  
  
"Data, slow us down as we approach. I don't want to scare anyone that might be around," Picard ordered. Data - who was also an engineer but his fast reaction time (he was an android after all) had quickly put him on the bridge - turned and acknowledged Picard's orders before turning his cushioned chair back to his terminal in the very front of the bridge. Of the two terminals Data's was the right most one.  
  
Picard crossed his legs and tapped the badge on his left breast. "Commander Worf and Councilor Troi, report to the bridge," he calmly stated. The badge was issued to all Starfleet personal and as long as the person was wearing it they could be accessed at any time or access others.  
  
"Were close enough to read for life signs now," Geordi announced. "These reading have to be wrong. There is life on all five of the planets... human life. I'm also picking up a ship directly in front of us. I'm getting some weird readings from it."  
  
"What kind of readings?" Riker asked. Picard glanced at his first officer before looking once again at the screen. The small galaxy was now close enough to be seen, its planets making the shape of a star with a burning sun in the middle.  
  
"Well, a lot of different ones. I'm getting all kinds of metals, from Romulan types to Federation types to Gundanium, sir. Their not sending a signal of any sort and I'm only reading five life signs, which is hard to believe for the ship's size," Geordi explained. "I'm also getting some readings that even the computer can't compute. And I can't explain that one any more than I just did."  
  
"Could it be a White Fang vessel?" Worf questioned as he made his way to his station. Troi walked in a moment later and took her seat.  
  
"Negative, it doesn't match any part of their profile. Although it is armed, and just from the initial scans it's enough to blow this entire area," Geordi stated. The ship smoothly dropped out of warp and the glow of the nearest planet lit up part of the screen, glinting off the black surface of the ship in front of them. It caught the light and the word 'Companion' seemed to be in graffiti on the side.  
  
"Hail the ship," Picard order. A few tense moments passed until Worf spoke again. "The ship is opening a channel."  
  
"On screen," Picard stated. He stood to address the strange ship and then froze.  
  
"Genies ship of love, you want it we'll get it or give it... which ever you prefer," a voice said sleazily, little husky at the end. It wasn't just the words that had frozen the entire bridge of the Enterprise it was what they were looking at.  
  
The youth couldn't be described as anything other than sexy. His thin but muscled legs were covered in tight black leather, hugging his hips so low that it was almost indecent. The glint of a golden chain hung just beneath his belly button, which was bare. A dark red tube top hugged his chest leaving his shoulders and arms bare, the muscled tan lengths moved with grace as they came to his side from the control panel. Another gold chain hung from his neck which held up an opened, human, face. Big purple eyes looked out from under a chestnut bangs that attached to a braid that went down to the youths waist.  
  
"Hey, I'm gona start charging you to look," the youth stated as he put his hands on his hips.  
  
"I'm sorry," Picard said, snapping out of his stair. "My name is Jean-Luc Picard; I'm the caption of the Enterprise. We explorers searching for new life and civilization, we were hoping you knew something about the area," Picard stated diplomatically.  
  
"Well, I do. My name is Duo and this is the Companion... sweet baby aint she... anyway..." Duo started to explain, his hands talking with him.  
  
"Duo stop talking to your self, you really make us worried when you do that," a sweet voice suddenly said as another youth appeared on the screen.  
  
"But I'm not Q-ball!" Duo said indignantly. "Just look at the screen and the scanners. It's a ship and it's called the Enterprise..."  
  
"Shit, Duo you were supposed to notify us if..." the screen suddenly went blank as the connection was lost. It took a moment for everything to sink in, finally Picard turned to the ships councilor.  
  
"What do you make of the situation?" Picard asked his voice surprised and confused.  
  
"Duo was extremely sexy," Troi started. "But I think if you get over his looks and coarse words he was talking in trading terms. I sense no ill intent. Duo seemed honest and, well, playful. The other seemed surprised and worried but not angry."  
  
"Caption, we are being hailed by the Companion," Worf stated. Picard nodded, his thoughts coming together.  
  
"On screen," He stated, a moment later Picard looked into the face of the blond boy that had switched off the screen earlier. He was dressed nicely, if a little famine, and had an opened and trusting face.  
  
"I am Quatre, caption of the Companion," the boy, Quatre, started. Picard hoped his face stayed neutral at the title of Caption. The boy didn't look like he was even in his twenties yet. "I must apologize for my friend and hope that you will accept it for the sake of friend ship. According to our scans your ship is the Enterprise from the Federation, a human and earth based organization. Is this correct?" Quatre's voice was kind but firm. Picard was having trouble believing that it was coming out of the boy's body in front of him.  
  
"That is correct," Picard managed to respond. His eyes had just noticed the dimly lit tidied walls that surrounded Quatre's figure.  
  
"You owe me five buck Wufei... I said they would find us first!" Duo's voice yelled in the back ground. The blond continued unfazed, as if his bridge was silent.  
  
"Our galaxy has just come back into time space, but its people are not united... in fact they refused to speak to each other. Sense we are in the neutral zone, can we remain neutral?" Quatre asked.  
  
"I don't know; the neutral zone has never had a race living in it before. I would be very interested in meeting you and would like to extend an invitation to you and your crew to come aboard," Picard asked kindly. He needed more time; these people seemed to know quiet a bit and he needed to know more about them before offering an alliance of protection. Quatre had been blunt in saying that they probably would need help it if the neutral zone couldn't provide protection.  
  
"I don't see why that wouldn't work," Quatre stated. He paused as if waiting for objection but his bridge was quiet. "Please transmit the area that we are to beam to and we will arrive in an hour," Quatre stated.  
  
"I look forward to your company," Picard stated.  
  
"As do I, Caption," Quatre stated before he went off the screen.  
  
"Worf, send them the information that they need. Councilor Troi I need you with me on this one, you and #1 meet me in my ready room. Worf bring a small security team to transporter room 1 in 0100 hours. Data keep an eye on the ship," Picard ordered.  
  
"What did you get from Quatre?" Pinard asked once Troi and Riker were seated.  
  
"He is kind but determined. Like Duo he held no malice or evil intent," Troi stated. Picard leaned back in his chair and listened as Riker gave his impressions. The next hour seemed to last forever as he waited and went over information on those that were to arrive all too soon.  
  
Picard watched the transporters slowly materialize five young men, the two he had already met included. They were all dressed and looked different; the only similarity being the staff's latched onto their backs. But on closer inspection even those were different. Picard felt Troi stir next to him but couldn't turn to ask because the five were already in front of him.  
  
"Welcome to the enterprise," Picard began. "Would you like to look around before we speak?"  
  
"That would be interesting," Quatre did not answer. Picard's head was drawn to a very Chinese looking youth in an off white Chinese fighting gei of some kind.  
  
"Sound's like a plan," Duo suddenly stuck in. "That's Wufei who just talked; the two over there who are trying to look like the wall are Heero and Trowa. Trowa sometimes cracks... I'm still working on Heero. Oh and don't try to touch Heero and you have been warned if you do," Duo introduced excitedly. "So can we see the ship now?"  
  
"Yes I think that would be fine," Picard said, unable to hide the humor from his voice. "Deanna Troi is our ships councilor, she will show you around. If you have any questions fell free to ask anyone on board."  
  
"Thank you caption," Quatre said politely. Picard left with a polite good by; making sure the security officers accompanied Troi as she led the young men off.

mtc


	11. As it stands

Companions of a kind – As it stands  
  
Councilor Deanna Troi wasn't exactly sure what to say when she felt the shorter of the stoic boys, Heero as she found out, telepathically communicating with something unseen. But it had been washed from her mind has Picard put her in charge of showing the youths around the ship.  
  
The first thing she noticed was the almost fierce protectiveness that the tallest one of them, Trowa, had for Quatre. Trowa stood right next to Quatre, his eye (the one she could see) attentive and watchful... almost like a body guard but there was more to it. The second thing she noticed was Heero eyeing the security personal as they walked with them.  
  
"You don't have to worry," Deanna told Heero, trying to reassure him that they meant not harm.  
  
"Don't worry about Heero back here," Duo said as he dropped back and tentatively put an arm around Heero's shoulders. Deanna could have cut the tension that suddenly filled the hall with a knife, it was so thick. All of the boys were on edge, although Duo's was laced with determination as Heero's body flinched as if it wanted to fling the boy off but was stopped by some unseen force.  
  
"Continue the tour please," Wufie's gruff voice stated. Deanna nodded absently and started walking again. She glanced behind her to see Duo walking with his arm part way around Heero's waist. Heero didn't not look pleased, but then again he hadn't looked like anything the entire time he had been here... even when the tension had surrounded him.  
  
"So what is your position on the ship?" Quatre asked as they continued down the hall.  
  
"I am the ships councilor," Deanna offered.  
  
"Ah, the perfect position for a woman," Wufei noted.  
  
"Excuse me?" Deanna said, her eye brows raised.  
  
"Women are not meant for the battle field, they are too delicate and sensitive," Wufei explained.  
  
"I do not agree. Although most females do not exhibit the strength, both physically and mentally that men do, they have strength in different areas that make up for it," Trowa returned.  
  
"Care to mention one?" Wufei asked sarcastically.  
  
"My sister, Katherine. She is a knife thrower and tumbler, when I was younger she managed to sneak into where I was sleeping and talk to me under the noses of 20 mercenaries. She didn't kill any of them... which is a strength of its own," Trowa explained.  
  
"Where is your sister now?" Quatre asked. Deanna cocked her head. Trowa's emotions had been blank through the story but they had gained a hit of sadness toward the end. But then the sadness had vanished as Quatre took one of Trowa's hands in his own.  
  
"I don't know, it has been year's sense I last heard from her... but she is probably doing fine," Trowa stated blankly.  
  
"So there is one case out there," Wufei stated. Deanna sucked in a breath to argue, although she didn't like to fight, women and men were equal now and some women were decorated officers.  
  
"Councilor Troi, what are these rooms here?" Quatre asked as they passed the holodecks.  
  
"Hey, they look just like the weird ones on our ship!" Duo exclaimed as he left Heero to start playing with the control panel by the door. Before anyone could blink Heero hand a hold of his long braid, stopping the boy in his tracks.  
  
"Ouch! Heero let go that hurts," Duo complained. He slowly backed up, rubbing his scalp.  
  
"Baka," Heero dead panned.  
  
"Yha, I love you too, bastard," Duo said rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Please, Councilor, ignore the idiots that make our company and explain what is behind the doors," Wufei reminded Deanna of the holodecks.  
  
"Well, there called the holodecks and they are for recreation. When crew members have time off they can put a program into the computer and it runs, kind of like a game, so that the crew doesn't feel like they are always stuck on the ship," Deanna explained.  
  
"You mean I could have sat on green grass and swam in a lake every day?" Duo suddenly stated eyes wide. "God damn it! I knew we should have tried to figure out what those rooms were for... well that's what I get for keeping work-a-holics as companions," Duo began mumbling.  
  
"What do you mean 'figured out'?" Deanna asked as she began guided the group toward engineering.  
  
"We were invited to work the ship, but were only shown how to use the necessary functions. When we found the weird rooms, we just assumed that were more storage or such," Quatre explained. "We didn't even think that they were some sort of virtual reality, we didn't know that none magic human now had that ability."  
  
"None magic..." Deanna started.  
  
"Oh! Look its more hallways!" Duo suddenly cued. "Man this is the lamest tour I have ever gotten. Hey Q, you want to go back to those holodeck thingies?" Duo suddenly interrupted.  
  
"Damn it, Heero. Keep your lover in line," Wufie suddenly bellowed his hand on his katana hilt. Deanna's eyes flew wide as the security officers around her reached for their phasers.  
  
"Stop it all of you," Quatre's voice was calm as soothing.  
  
"Duo, calm down. I know this is exciting but please remember that you are not a rowdy teen. Wufei what Duo does is not Heero's fault, take your hand off your weapon before you destroy the peace that we are trying establish," Quatre commanded. His voice was soft and calm but compelling at the same time. Deanna could feel emotions laced in every word.  
  
"But I am a rowdy teen!" Duo wined. There was another moment before Wufei took his hand off his weapon and turned his back to Duo. Deanna glanced at Heero as her mind picked up his communication once again; surprisingly Quatre's face grimaced for the moment that Deanna felt Heero's contact.  
  
"Not worth of my time," Wufei stated.  
  
"Hey Wu-bear..." Duo started. His stair into Wufei's back could have burned holes in the shirt.  
  
"Enough," Heero's cold voice deadpanned. "Finish with this tour and then take us to your caption, a ship approaches."  
  
"What do you mean?" Worf spoke for the first time.  
  
"Although you were the first to find us it seems you were only beaten by a few hours," Wufie supplied. As if on cue Worf was hailed to the bridge, along with Deanna and the five boys.  
  
Except for Duo's occasional comment, the walk to the bridge was fast. The group drew stares as they went but ignored them.  
  
"Caption," Deanna acknowledged as she led the boys onto the bridge.  
  
"Caption Quatre, it seems that we barely meet before a challenge come into our path. There is a ship, giving the White Fang signal less an hour away. Would it be alright to postpone the tour until later," Picard asked politely.  
  
"Yes that would be fine," Quatre stated.  
  
"Than my officers have already assembled in the meeting room," Picard said. The five boys followed Picard and Deanna, Worf trailing behind, to the meeting room. It was plain and comfortable.  
  
"This room needs some color," Duo mumbled as he was shown a seat between Heero and a pail brown haired man. The seats were not designed to accommodate staffs and Deanna watched with interests as the five boys pulled off their staffs, and keeping them in hand, took a seat.  
  
"These are my officers," Picard started right in. He introduced all his major officers present in turn before turning to Quatre. Quatre also introduced his crew, no last names and no titles.  
  
"I would like to start with who you are and how you got here, sense you seem to know everything about us," Picard stated bodily. He looked at Quatre but was surprised when it was Wufei that answered.  
  
"Thousands of years ago there was a split between humans that could use magic and those that couldn't. Those that could chose to solve the issue by removing themselves from the picture so they created a planet and removed it from space time. However there was later a war which divided the planet into 5 and forced the voidus, what we called our galaxy, to slowly come back into space time," Wufei simply explained.  
  
"So you have been here all along?" Data asked. His head cocked to one side in curiosity.  
  
"In a way, we have been in this dimension, but not accessible," Trowa stated.  
  
"So this magic... you can still use it?" Picard asked.  
  
"Of course, we don't carry around big sticks with balls on them cuz were gay, ya know," Duo said crudely.  
  
"Maxwell we are not all Gay!" Wufei spat, the red crystal of fire coming to a slight glow at his words.  
  
"I know, Chang," Duo said sarcastically. "I was just making a comment."  
  
"Our staffs hold crystals full of magic. The best of us hold spells incase we don't have our staffs with us but we are able to channel mot of our abilities through these focuses. As Wufei has just shown these staffs are very close to us and connected to our emotions," Quatre explained, quickly taking the heat away from his hot headed comrades. Deanna could see why he was caption, the more she was around Quatre the more she respected him.  
  
"How much power is in your staffs?" Worf asked.  
  
"Actually that depends on the person. Heero's staff contains the most pure power; he could easily blow up the voidus. However Duo could separate your mental and physical self or call on the ghost of the past to do his bidding. Each of us has a specialty and on average I would say that even the weakest of us could destroy a planet in our own way," Trowa stated.  
  
"But that doesn't mean we would," Quatre immediately added. "My power is healing. I have never used it in violence."  
  
There was silence after that comment. Deanna could feel Quatre's want to have his crew add the same detail but no other could. Deanna didn't care as much about his power, the boy was just a boy after all, as she did about his mental abilities.  
  
"And your ability to control emotions?" Deanna asked.  
  
"Actually that is not a part of the staff. I was born with empathy," Quatre stated. "We do communicate mind to mind using the clear crystal of mind though."  
  
"Does it also glow when you use it?" Deanna questioned.  
  
"It does," Quatre responded.  
  
"Heero, do you have some innate ability to communicate mind to mind?" Deanna asked, turning to look at Heero.  
  
"No," Heero dead panned. Deanna was about to press but before she could Picard was hailed.  
  
"Picard here," Picard stated in answer.  
  
"Caption, an OZ ship has come into sensor range, 20 minutes behind the White Fang vessel," a voice stated over the com.  
  
"Are you positive about that identification?" Picard asked his voice worried. Deanna felt a shiver of fear run up her back. Although White Fang were fierce fighters, they were out laws and could be treated as such. OZ was legal, barely. Deanna turned her attention back to Picard as the older caption looked Quatre square in the eyes. Deanna was proud that the young man didn't even change expressions under the older man's gaze.  
  
"White Fang is a group of pirates. They do not come under the rule of any organization. They do what they please at the expense of whom ever is in there way... but they can be treated as the outlaws they are. OZ is a united military force under the private direction of Treize Khushrenada," Picard stated in explanation.  
  
"Treize Khushrenada has his hand in every pie. We are not entirely sure of his allegiance or motives," Deanna elaborated.  
  
"I wouldn't say that about White Fang," Heero's voice dead panned. "White Fang does not follow any rules but they don't kill needlessly or neglect those in need." Every head turned to toward Heero and Deanna got that feeling that he was communicating with the unknown again. Even his four companions turned there heads in surprise.  
  
"And your input on OZ?" Wufei asked. Deanna noticed that it had blatantly cut off Duo from making a comment.  
  
"None," Heero dead panned. There was a moment of silence and Deanna tried to imagine a possible peaceful meeting between the four ships... and failed.  
  
"Caption Picard," Quatre said as he turned his head back to Picard. "May I see the reports on White Fang and OZ?"  
  
"Of course," Picard stated, barely gaining his wits. "Geordi please bring them up for our friend. I need all officers to their stations, Caption Quatre you are welcomed to join me on the bridge when you are finished. I will have Troi alert you when White Fang has arrived, sense they seem to be in the lead."  
  
"Thank you Caption," Quatre responded. Deanna remained behind as everyone filtered out of the room.  
  
"Caption, I still sense no malice from any of them, however, Heero has been mentally communicating with something outside the ship. I know Quatre knows when it is going on but I am not sure about anyone else," Deanna reported. Picard nodded.  
  
"We will wait and see. I wish that White Fang had not come this fast – and even more that OZ had not come - but what is done is done. Report to the bridge, I will really need your help on this one," Picard stated. Deanna nodded and smiled. She trusted Quatre.  
  
mtc 


	12. Wight Fang and OZ

Companions of a Kind – Wight Fang and OZ  
  
"All of these reports do show both Caption Picard's view and Heero's on White Fang, my main question is where Heero formed his views," Quatre said to himself.  
  
Trowa, are there reports of White Fang in the Companions databases?Quatre sent to the bridge. Wufei, Duo and Quatre were all reading through reports in the meeting room, while Heero and Trowa kept track of the situation on the bridge.  
  
I never thought to look. I did glance at the ship's logs and the name is never mentioned... but then again if they are pirates keeping the records where they could be easily found would not be the smartest thing to do. OZ is reported like the Federation was.Trowa responded.  
  
Heero do you know of White Fang through Cassandra?Quatre sent to Heero.  
  
RogerHeero stated. Quatre was always surprised at how blank Heero's thoughts were... much like his face.  
  
White Fang is only minutes from us.Trowa stated in Quatre's head. Quatre gave a mental acknowledgement before turning his attention to the records the three had just skimmed.  
  
"White Fang is really tough, man," Duo said his voice semi serious. "Ever read that Robin Hood story Cat?" Duo asked.  
  
"Of course! I loved that one," Quatre said happily. His mind immediately turned to the similarities and differences of the two groups of outlaws. "But they aren't really that similar. It's not always the rich they rob and they never give away what they take," Quatre said.  
  
"I know, but at least we know that they have some moral code," Duo said. "OZ on the other hand seems to have only goals. They have been very busy in politics and do less fighting than White Fang."  
  
"Hum, I have also seen that pattern. Casualties for battle are very low in both groups, but OZ's group is because of strategy while White Fang is ability," Quatre mused as his eyes skimmed what felt like the hundredth report  
  
"We need to head to the bridge. The leader of OZ, Treize Khushrenada, seems like an honorable man," Wufie stated. He turned at motioned for Councilor Troy to lead them to the bridge. As they started walking Wufei continued.  
  
"Although his ideals are not golden the way he achieves them are. I did not come across a record where a soldier on his side of the battle fell needlessly or an innocent was brought into the fight."  
  
"Same here," Quatre agreed.  
  
"Does Wufee have a crush?" Duo slurred, dodging out of Wufei's reach at the same time and hiding behind Quatre.  
  
"My name is Wufei and I refuse to dignify that with a response," Wufei retorted. Quatre couldn't keep the humor out of his face at the two youths banter. Truthfully if Duo ever stopped Wufei would miss it and if Wufei ever stopped arguing back, Duo would miss it. They were friend; Wufei had even helped Duo get closer to Heero, despite them both being male.  
  
"What do we know?" Quatre questioned as soon as the turbo lift opened to the bridge.  
  
"White Fang uses star ships similar to Romulan war birds, except smaller. Standard weapons and no magic," Trowa stated. "They use hit and run tactics when fighting but are currently approaching uncloaked, which means they have no intent for battle. Wufei or you will be able to read their intentions better."  
  
"OZ is coming with their white flag out. They have already tried to contact the Companion twice; both times they were intercepted by White Fang. White Fang has already hailed the Companion and did not get a response... they are on your equivalent of read alert," Heero dead panned.  
  
"How did you know that?" Geordi suddenly asked. Quatre looked over at the man before looking back at Heero, just in time to catch the tail end of his shrug.  
  
"The two ships are mere minutes apart," Data reported at the helm.  
  
"Go to yellow alert. Quatre do you have men manning your ship," Picard asked, taking control of the situation.  
  
"Don't worry about our ship," Quatre responded.  
  
Heero, have Cassandra patch all communications through to the EnterpriseQuatre stated in Heero's head at the same time as he began speaking to Picard.  
  
"All hails to us will come through your computer," Quatre stated. Before Picard could ask, Worf's voice called out.  
  
"Caption we are being hailed by both OZ and White Fang, simultaneously."  
  
"I think it would be best if we talk to both at the same time," Quatre stated. Picard didn't have to think long before he agreed. A few commands later the main screen on the bridge turned from its view of the Companion into two faces.  
  
A man with long pail blond hair and clear blue eyes stood, back straight on the left of the screen. His tall body was hidden under a long gray trench coat that matched the plain metal of the interior of his bridge. His black boot covered feet were slightly parted, as if ready to fight at any moment. Only the white gloves that covered his fingers stuck out in the grays and browns.  
  
On the right was another tall man, ginger brown hair was combed neatly on his head, a small peace of it accented his dark brown eyes. He was clothed in the old European uniform, high black armored boots covered his feet and knees before the white of his pants went up to the blue of his decorated coat tails. He could have been royalty by the way he held himself, legs crossed sitting in a big chair on a well lit bridge. Self confidence dripped off of both the captions.  
  
"This is interesting, I hailed the Shiroy and I got the Federation. How can I help you, Federation," the blond one said. None of the surprise he was talking about showed on his face. It remained passive, neither a smile nor a frown on his clean shaven face.  
  
"My name is Caption Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation ship Enterprise. And who might you be?" Picard answered smoothly.  
  
"Zechs Merquise, caption of this vessel, Epyon, and all the ones in her fleet," Zechs answered just as smoothly.  
  
"And what fleet would that be?" Picard asked, knowing the answer full well.  
  
"If I need to answer that then you, caption, are not doing your job," Zechs answered. Quatre narrowed his eyes. Zechs seemed to have logic like Heero and what had he called the Companion? Shiroy or something.  
  
"I'm sorry to intrude on this banter, but I believe we all know each others identities here. For clarification I am Treize Khushrenada and I need to know what the Federation is doing with weapons charged in the neutral zone?" Treize demanded in a smooth manner.  
  
"Our weapons are powered in defense," Picard stated. "With pirates who don't listen to the laws coming at us we wanted to be prepared."  
  
"Of course, White Fang is always a good escape," Treize stated. "I'm assuming we are all after these new planets that have surfaced in the Neutral Zone? Of course we are, and by the looks of it, Caption, you have already found some locals."  
  
"Treize you over step your bounds," Picard stated blankly.  
  
"Why don't we meet in person and talk this out," Zechs suddenly interjected. Although from what Quatre had seen he seemed perfectly happy just listening to the other two captions argue. Quatre felt Picard suck in a breath to respond but before he could Zech spoke again.  
  
"Yes, I am aware that what ship to do it on will be an issue, so why don't we use the Shiroy. Once I get a hold of her there should be no problem."  
  
"I will agree with that, Cassandra holds a strict ship and won't allow us to fight each other, not that civilized men would do that when they are just trying to meet each other," Treize nodded in agreement as a woman with two braided buns leaned down to talk to him.  
  
"I can't do this any more! What is the Shiroy? How do you know the bitc... Cassandra?" Duo spat out, stumbling to not call Cassandra a fowl word. Quatre didn't look back at Duo as he studied the pictures of the two men. Both had narrowed there eyes at Duo's out burst but seemed slow to speak. When they did it was Zechs who answered.  
  
"She is an old business partner and a freelance mercenary," Zech stated.  
  
Quatre suddenly looked over sharply at Heero as he began communicating with Cassandra. The other three mages noticed Quatre's look as well and glanced at Heero. Duo instinctively moved closer to Heero but didn't get into his space, this would not be a time for Heero to lose control and knock him out. All people seemed to wait in suspense, the coms quiet.  
  
What is going on?Quatre asked when Heero had stopped talking to Cassandra.  
  
Cassandra is a mercenary, but her ship is now the Companion and belongs to usHeero stated. Quatre nodded, it was his turn to take control.  
  
"My name is Caption Quatre. I command the Companion which was once the Shiroy but no longer. I would readily agree to meet with all of you on board my ship," Quatre stated confidently. That seemed to throw both the commanders for a loop for a moment; Treize was the first to gain his wits.  
  
"And your conditions are?" Treize asked.  
  
"None, there is little that you can do on my ship to disrupt it or the meeting," Quatre stated, his small body puffed up slightly. "We will be ready for you in half an hour."  
  
"Will Cassandra be present at the meeting?" Zechs asked. Quatre glanced at Heero who shook his head.  
  
"No," Quatre stated. Quatre frowned; a bad feeling had just made itself present in his uchuu no kokoro. But it was distant still.  
  
"I see, we will speak more of this then, Zechs out," Zechs stated as his side of the screen when blank. Treize was less formal and more polite with his exit but soon his screen was blank as well.  
  
"Caption Picard, thank you for your hospitality, but we must now take our leave," Quatre said appreciatively, his tone dark because of the approaching threat.  
  
"Ya, I'll definitely be back to see how that holothing works," Duo said nodding knowingly.  
  
Cassandra is beaming us upHeero stated in Quatre's head.  
  
"I will send the transporting information to you once on board," Quatre said. He didn't get a chance to say more before the light of the transporters surrounded him and he was suddenly in the Companion's dark transporter room. He cocked his head to the side to see Cassandra at the controls.  
  
He had not seen her in almost a year, but it didn't seem to matter because she hadn't really changed. Her bright green eyes and white skin stuck out at him. He scowled when he felt her communicate with Heero.  
  
"You could talk to us..." Quatre started. But he didn't get to say much more as Cassandra turned and walked out the door. Quatre was grateful for Trowa's arm around his shoulders and he leaned into it.  
  
"She scares me, it's like living on a haunted ship," Quatre shuddered and Trowa drew him in close.  
  
"I will go send the three ships the coordinates," Wufei stated brining Quatre back to reality. "I suggest some one prepare the meeting room while Quatre thinks about what is to be said."  
  
"That sounds good Wufei. Duo you take care of the meeting room. Heero I want to you and Trowa to prepare the Gundams. I have a funny feeling about this. Its not Zechs or Treize, although they are both dangerous in their own way, there is something worse heading for us. Something with ill intent," Quatre explained.  
  
"You know why I hate your premonitions... because there always true," Duo said seriously. Quatre just nodded and turned toward the bridge. He had an hour, an hour to prepare for one of the biggest intellectual battles he would probably ever encounter.  
  
mtc 


	13. Enemies or Allies?

Companions of a Kind – Enemies or Allies?  
  
Zechs stood straight as the transporter beamed him onto Companion. He was ready for his eyes to adjust to the dim light but when he fully solid again he found the transporter room not the way he had last seen it.  
  
Bright balls of light hovered magically in every corner and in the center of the ceiling, leaving none of bright purple walls unlit. The area was still set up the same, on his left ran the short walk way to the top of Engineering while to his right the purple turned into a blinding pattern of tidied hands that had transformed the old dark and efficient bridge into an active almost over whelming sight. Although on a closer look the controls them selves were still in their orderly panels.  
  
"Welcome to the Companion," Quatre said, a smile on his lips. Zechs returned the smile slightly.  
  
"We are thankful that you are willing to host this meeting," A soft female voice said behind him. Zechs slightly turned to acknowledge his sisters comment. Relena was her name. She was a short petite girl with long brown blond hair tied back with a braided half pony tail. Here long pink dress covered her young not fully developed from and brought out the bright blue of her eyes.  
  
"I don't know why we wouldn't," The cold voice of the Chinese youth stated. Relena blinked but Zechs stepped in before his sister could continue her game. Relena was smart, too smart for her own good. Unfortunately her ideals didn't quite mix with her older brothers and it seemed the only reason she traveled with him was to some day convince him to stop fighting.  
  
"I see you have made some changes to the ship. I trust that security remains just as tight. Please, show us to the council chambers so we can get started," Zechs asked and confirmed at the same time.  
  
"Wufei, please show our guests to the meeting room. The Federation has yet to come aboard but OZ is already there," Quatre ordered smoothly. Although it was clearly an order, it was hard for Zechs to not feel as if it was a request, but the Chinese acted on his orders and soon Zechs and his party of three were walking down the hall.  
  
"Noin, please keep an eye on my sister. She is very important," Zechs affirmed. Noin has insisted on coming, her reasoning was that in the hands of the Shiroy's new owners security wasn't as tight and being the head of security it was her job to keep Zechs safe. Zech's glanced at Noin as she gave him a tight 'yes sir'.  
  
She was tall, coming up just below his chin. Her black hair, almost purple in the lights of the ship, was cropped short, her bangs covering half of her face. Although her expression was stern, her face looked kind. Even under the tight collared uniform that all White Fang personal were required to wear, except him of course. The tight old fashioned navy blue top was accompanied by black loose, but not bunchy pants and black boots. All White Fang personal were required to carry a phaser and a human English style fencing sword.  
  
"Companion is not meant to accommodate this many people, so the meeting room is a little small," Wufei stated as the door hissed opened in front of him. The walls of the meeting room were much more tastefully painted that the bright walls of the corridors that Zechs had been in, however they were still bright in comparison to the black and metal colors the entire ship had been the last time he had been on it. For a moment he wondered where Cassandra was and if she would have cared if her ship had been painted... it was her child after all. Built, wired and controlled completely by her for at least the last 10 years.  
  
"Zechs Merquise? Or are you Milliardo Peacecraft today... no mask I see," Treize purred. Zechs narrowed his eyes at the commander sitting at ease in a padded chair. To Treize's left was a brown haired woman, her hair up in two braided pig tails and curled into buns. Like Noin she wore a uniform, only this one was of OZ. The pants were white instead of black and the top dark red instead of navy blue. Lady Une's piercing cold brown eyes narrowed at Zechs and he positioned himself across from Treize and sat.  
  
"Do not banter with me, Treize. Until my hands are free of blood I can not return to the Peacecraft ways. Mask or no, I will be Zechs Merquise for much time to come," Zech's stated coldly. He turned his attention to the two at the table he didn't recognize.  
  
"Hey! I'm Duo and this is Trowa," The braided youth said happily waving his arms in the air in indication who he was talking about. "I already know two of you, but who might the lovely ladies be?"  
  
"Introductions can wait," Wufei said before anyone could answer. Zech noticed with curiosity that the white crystal on the staff Wufei had strapped to his back was glowing. On closer inspection Duo and Trowa also had staffs, but there were placed in holes in the arms of the chairs they were sitting in.  
  
"The crystal on your stick is glowing," Relena stated, clearly wanting an answer. Wufei nodded but didn't leave his position at the door.  
  
"Fei, that was a question," Duo stated, putting his hands behind his head. Zech's watched with mild curiosity as Wufie's face turned a slight shad of red and his cold eyes turned onto the braided boy, no longer the cold black but sparking with fire... along with the red crystal on his staff. But before the situation could escalate the door hissed opened and all eyes turned to it as Quatre led a man, a klingon and a woman into the room.  
  
The two males were in the black cotton star fleet uniforms, phasers at their waist. While the woman was in a skin tight light blue uniform that showed off her cleavage and weaponless body.  
  
"Good now we are all here," Quatre said as he motioned to Duo and Trowa. With a soft joke from Duo, which Zechs could not hear, the two vacated their chairs and took up posts on opposite sides of the room, leaving just enough chairs for the Federation and two more. Quatre and Wufei sat as well.  
  
"We should start with introductions around the table. My name is Quatre, caption of this vessel and next to me is Wufei," Quatre said, his voice was calm and sweet, the epitome of the perfect diplomat. Zech's cleared his throat and quickly introduced his sister and chief of security. To his left were the three from the federation, Caption Picard, Commander Worf and Councilor Troy and across from him was Treize and Lady Une. The woman stank of deceit and treachery, her round glasses seemed to try and hide the cunning wit in her eyes.  
  
"If you don't mind my asking," Councilor Troy asked before anything could get started. "But where is Heero?"  
  
"Heero is taking care of some things, he will join us in time," Quatre explained. "Now I guess we should bring everyone up to speed on what exactly has appeared in the neutral zone and then what we have asked the Federation and then what OZ and White Fang would like to do."  
  
There was the briefest of pauses, and Zechs's eyes were pulled to Duo for a moment as the white crystal on his staff glowed. Then his eyes moved to Wufei has he stood and began explaining about the Voidus and the magic with in it. Zech's was fascinated, the power that each of the young men had was more than most star ships!  
  
"The Federation was the first to find us, hence the first we tried to get help from," Quatre took back over with out even a pause. "The planets of the Voidus are not united and so in return for the your help all that can be offered is the Companions alliance and possible future help as the planets start to get used to the idea of joining together."  
  
"So you are looking for charity to protect you home planets. And you would die defending them alone?" Treize asked.  
  
"If need be, but do not take the Companion's alliance lightly. We have much to offer," Wufei stated.  
  
"Care to share?" Lady Une asked.  
  
"Actually until we have seen everyone's cards, we will not throw in our own," Wufei stated.  
  
"And you think that anyone would be willing to make an alliance with what they don't know about?" Lady Une asked in disbelief.  
  
"No, but those that are worthy will get the information they need," Wufei stated.  
  
"And do you, young man, decide who is worthy or not?" Treize asked smoothly.  
  
"I judge, and that is important for you to remember. Everyone must fight with there own sense of integrity... but those who wish to work together must have something in common," Wufei said harshly.  
  
"But in order to be a good soldier one must follow orders unconditionally," Treize purred.  
  
"That is not the way to train men! Those who can not think for themselves will die, and justice will not be served," Wufei responded heatedly. Zech's leaned back slightly and watched as Treize and Wufie's banter continued. He could tell his old friend was starting to get heated, although Treize's outwardly posture would not give it away.  
  
"But those who can think for themselves can and will mutiny at some point," Treize said, he sat up and folded his hands on the table; brown eyes staring intently into black.  
  
"If a leader it truly just than he should not have to worry, for the soldiers will be able to see and understand the reasons behind the orders," Wufei responded, also sitting up in his seat.  
  
"But even then, they may not agree. Look at your planets. I am assuming they are educated and think for themselves, yet they can not see help when it turns itself over to them," Treize argued. Wufei's face turned red and his hand immediately went to his katana hilt.  
  
"You dare bring my planet into this!" Wufei stated, his voice raised in cold challenge.  
  
"Is it not a valid argument?" Treize asked, his hand going for his own sword. To say Zech's was surprised would be an understatement; Trieze never threatened violence during rhetorical banter.  
  
"Boys..." Councilor Troy started but before she could finish the door behind them hissed opened and suddenly Treize and Wufei both gasped as their swords, sheaths and all, were ripped from their waist and floated into the grasps of the young man that had just walked in.  
  
Zech's sucked in a breath of air as he looked the young man. Soldier screamed from every pour in the youth's body. His legs were slightly parted, as if ready to fight, while his arms hung loosely at his sides, ready to pull out either the staff on his back or the multitude of concealed weapons Zech's would bet his life were hidden in the tight jeans and tank top. Wufei and Treize's swords hung in the air off to the youth's right, just in reach if he needed them. The dirty yellow glow from the staff outlined his thick rumpled brown hair and accented his emotionless face.  
  
"He-man! You're late!" Duo said reprimanding and breaking the silence.  
  
"Hn," Heero's cold voice grunted. With out another word Heero walked across the room to take up a position behind Quatre and Wufei, the weapons still floating at his side. There was an awkward silence, which was accompanied by a strange frown from Quatre. Finally the young blond looked up.  
  
"You're weapons will be given back to you when you leave the ship," Quatre stated. "We should get back on track, I am sorry I let that persist."  
  
"It's not your fault," Relena stated. Zech's looked at his sister, whose eyes were pinned to the young man who just walked in. "Who is it that just joined us?"  
  
"His name is Heero," Quatre said politely. "Now, as to the current situation..." Zechs listened attentively as Quatre began explaining the details. The few time he glanced at his sister her eyes were still glued to Heero, Zechs suddenly felt very bad for the man. Not only was his sister cunning but amazingly spoiled... she always got what she wanted.  
  
"Every thing you say has a form of hast in it," Caption Picard suddenly interrupted.  
  
"Yes, that is true," Quatre agreed. "There is not much time before an evil force attack us. I don't know the specifics, but they do not want an alliance... the just want ownership ...which is the reason we left time space in the first place.  
  
"I didn't see any signs of any kind of force," Noin stated.  
  
"They are still to far off for technology to find," Quatre responded.  
  
"So then it's a type of magic?" Lady Une asked.  
  
"No, I have empathy. My uchuu no kokoro can sense ill intent," Quatre stated.  
  
"And you get none of that from anyone in the room?" Relena asked surprised, her attention turning to Quatre for the first time sense Heero walked in.  
  
"Why would I? Despite claims made otherwise Treize and Zechs both seem like decent people, with the means to help us and the will," Quatre stated.  
  
"Both captions are very honorable and have never betrayed or lied," Wufei added. Relena looked like she wanted to argue.  
  
"Relena, please mind your place. This is not the time to argue your ideals," Zechs said to stop her.  
  
"But, brother, true peace can only be achieved by true pacifism," Relena said, her eyes growing bright at her passionate subject came to hand. Zechs did not miss her glance Heero's way, or Heero's blank seeming disinterest with the world around him.  
  
"I will not disagree with that Relena; it should be what we all strive for. But until all sides strive for the same thing, it would just be stupid to not defend ourselves," Quatre said, his voice gaining some heat as well.  
  
"So what exactly is coming?" Commander Worf asked, bringing Quatre back onto subject.  
  
"I don't know, I just know the feelings," Quatre said helplessly.  
  
"He-man, does Ghosty have any info that should be added here?" Duo suddenly stuck in. Zech's blinked... well Quatre had said that Duo was a necromancer, but wasn't He-man one of Duo's nick names for Heero? As if hearing his thoughts all of the mages heads turned to Heero.  
  
"Fleet of Cardassians and Romulans, 75 star fighters, one week away," Heero dead panned.  
  
"Oh and this just wasn't important enough to inform us?" Duo said sarcastically, his hands once again flying into the air. Heero cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at Duo.  
  
"It had been entered into the main computer," Heero dead panned.  
  
"He-baby, we really need to talk about your people skills," Duo mumbled. Zech's raised an eye brow. Did his sister have some competition or did Duo call everyone Baby?  
  
"Could some one please explain what is going on?" Caption Picard interrupted Zech's thoughts and Duo's mumbling.  
  
"The bad feeling I was getting, its source is a fleet of Cardassians and Romulans are on there way," Quatre stated.  
  
"Do you have proof of this?" Zech's asked. He glanced at Noin, but her face remained as it was. Quatre on the other hand looked over at Heero, slightly frowning.  
  
"I'm sorry, I can't not ask about this. Who has Heero been communicating with and how?" Councilor Troy stuck in. Heero narrowed his eyes at the councilor.  
  
"Friend," Heero dead panned.  
  
"I'm sorry but I don't know you kids well enough to trust your judgment. I'm going to need more information from you," Caption Picard stated.  
  
"Kids?" Duo asked, his voice a mixture of disbelief and anger.  
  
"It is hard to believe what we are hearing is coming out of the mouth of young men who look no more than 16," Treize said with more fineness'.  
  
"You will doubt our word because of our looks?" Wufei added his voice a similar tone to Duo's.  
  
"We just need more information..." Zechs started.  
  
"We have given you all the information we have!" Quatre interrupted before Zechs could finish. Zech glanced around, has hand moving toward his phasor. The situation was starting to get heated. Of the five mages Heero seemed to be the only one with a truly cool head. Qautre was distressed by not violent, however with his distress the tallest of them, Trowa, had become defensive his hand grasping the staff on his back, ready to draw it out.  
  
Wufei and Duo were both openly angry, the red on Wufie's staff blazing while the area around Duo seemed to have grown a little darker. Trieze was in his usual calm, however, Lady Une might as well have her phasor out it was so clear she was ready to draw it. Commander Worf had moved to a standing position, his hand hovering over his phasor while Noin had done the same. Tension filled in the air and all it would take was one more wrong word and the room would turn into a mini battle field.  
  
Then suddenly Quatre's face turned into that unconscious frown and not a second later every weapon in the room was suddenly ripped from its owners grasp, except the mages staffs.  
  
"Cassandra sends her regards to both captions that know her and wants everyone in the room to have full confidence in Quatre and his mages," Heero's voice dead panned as the phasors and swords were added to the swords already floating behind him. "Duo, calm down and come over here," Heero ordered. The tension remained for a moment and then as if it was Duo's decision it ended as Duo moved to stand next to Heero.  
  
"So Cassandra is on board," Zech's stated. He folded his hands together in front of him, a small smile on his lips. "White Fang will help the voidus."  
  
"Hum, interesting. It has been a long time sense I have worked with you Zechs," Treize started. "The Federation and other space alliances have gotten complacent and lax in these past years. I hope you prove to be a more interesting act."  
  
All eyes in the room turned to Caption Picard. He looked back at them.  
  
"I need time to think about the situation," Caption Picard finally stated.  
  
"Fine, hale me when you have made your decision," Quatre stated. It was a clear dismissal and Zech's watched as Trowa escorted the Federation out of the room.  
  
"This will prove to be interesting," Zechs mused. And something interesting is always worth fighting for.  
  
mtc 


	14. Gundam

Companions of a kind – Gundam  
  
Heero closed his eyes, the chemicals in his brain and body shifted and rushed in all different directions as room around him lost gravity. With no gravity in the bay, his body had no sense of where to orient and the rush of it trying to find its center was a sickening but fascinating experience.  
  
You just gona float there with your eyes closed?Duo asked sarcastically in Heero's head. Heero's eyes fluttered opened as his body centered itself on his stomach... like Cassandra had taught all of them.  
  
Heero glanced at Duo, who was floating near the ground, kept in place by a hand on the Deathscyth's outer control panel. His eyes skimmed the dull silver room, it was well lit and the walls the same metal that the ship was made out of. Duo nor Quatre had even attempted to paint the vast space that they had built their Gundam's, and their Gundam's still remained. Wufei was also with Duo and himself in the bay. Quatre was manning the bridge while Trowa was in the little shuttle handling targets and running interference.  
  
Although they wanted to give the ships a good idea of their power they didn't want to give it all away. Heero looked back at his Gundam. The small bit of movement that he had made earlier had him still moving in the vacuum of space and he called upon a small portion of his pure power in his staff to change his direction toward this cock pit.  
  
The dark blue door opened only after he had given both a hand print and a magic ID. It slid opened with a small hiss; the main outer door became a platform for him to walk on while the inner shielded him above from attacks.  
  
The interior of Wing was much the same as its counter parts. A large slightly padded brown chair was bolted down to the center with several padded straps to help keep him in the seat as the Gundam moved. Right behind the seat was a hole in the floor with a carved diamond funnel coming out of it, the exact shape of his staff. He carefully placed the staff it is appointed place. He removed his leather jacket and tied it down next to his chair before strapping himself in.  
  
The controls for the door (which was powered by auxiliary power) were on the arm of the chair and his fingers rand over the small keys like a spider crawling on its web. Within a minute the double gundamium doors to Wing were shut and the three monitors lit up the interior in an almost eerie glow. It combined and meshed with the dirty yellow power that diffracted as it came out of the crystal. Anyone who would see them through the monitors would see a person seemingly surrounded in arterial light.  
  
"We will convene outside the ship, remember this is just a demonstration," Quatre's voice came over the com systems. The com systems had two levels; Quatre was talking over the level allowed them to communicate with the Enterprise, Companion and any other non-magical communications device. The other level was powered by the mind part of each of their staffs. They both looked the exact same on screen; however the magical on could not be eased dropped on.  
  
"Damn, you're ruining all my fun!" Duo said sarcastically. His upper body and face, surrounded by a grey light that sparkled and swirled, suddenly appeared on Heero's left monitor and winked at Heero. Although he could choose to accept or block out the messages from non-magic forms of communication he could not do the same with the magical.  
  
"Understood," Heero dead panned. He changed the left monitor to show the world around him, Duo's form disappearing as he also began to work the controls of his Gundam. Cassandra had opened the bay's outer doors, Shenlong was already out.  
  
"Race ya?" Duo questioned. Heero glanced to his right, Duo's black Gundam had come up along side his and Duo's image was in the upper left hand corner of his screen.  
  
"Don't even think about it Maxwell! If you bust through the bay door where only one Gundam can fit at a time, than the Companion will be damaged before a battle even begins!" Wufei bellowed. Heero tuned both Wufei's order and Duo's retaliation out as he used his muscled legs to start the Gundam walking.  
  
Although flying was all controlled by commands and a 'joystick' as Cassandra named the contraption Wing's motor powered functions required more thought and muscle control. The arms guided the body, the legs following suit unless the legs were locked in place, allowing the controller to spin the upper half of the Gundam's body around in a full circle to shoot at things at its back. The big difference in Wing, was that it could change it's from, loosing the Egyptian style human form in place of the sleek fast fighter.  
  
Heero moved his Gundam into formation. Shenlong was in the center, with Deathscyth and Wing on either side. Although it wasn't a discussed formation, it was an obvious one that Quatre had decided upon when they had put together the demo. Heero closed his eyes for a moment, Quatre was waiting for conformation to start, and it was taking longer than expected. Heero's mind went back to one of the sudo- meetings they had discussed strategy in months earlier.  
  
_Heero glanced over at the bridge from his work in the top level of Engineering. Quatre was on duty and the blonde seemed so board that he was falling asleep. Heero narrowed his eyes but turned back to his work, letting one of the self diagnostic's run while he swung down his mess of netting to the level below. He immediately felt a presents and unconsciously wrapped one had around his staff, the other loosened a throwing knife in the sleeve of his leather jacket.  
  
"Chill out bud, it's just me," Duo's voice called out unthreateningly. Heero turned, hand not leaving his staff, as Duo came out of the doorway his hands in the air. It took a moment for Heero to calm his muscles, but the throwing knife eventually went back into its seethe and both hands moved to begin typing on the consul in front of him.  
  
"What a wonderful welcome!" Duo said sarcastically, taking Heero's actions as a come on in. Although Heero could still feel that Duo would keep his distance, it hadn't been that long ago that Heero had thrown him hard enough against a wall to knock the thinner man out.  
  
Sense they had started working out together though, Heero had found that he was getting accustomed to Duo's feel. His body no longer reacted as violently to Duo's occasional step into his personal space. And reactions like the one he had just had were becoming farther between as Heero learned Duo's magic signature. However the necromancer was very good at hiding it, as he had been doing. Heero wanted to ask why Duo had been hiding his magical presents but could not bring himself to voice the question. Showing interest in things such as that was a weakness.  
  
"So what are you doing?" Duo asked. Heero glanced at Duo who was leaning against the railing, one of his fingers traced the pattern of the netting absently as his big violet eyes took in the world around him.  
  
"Maintenance," Heero dead panned. He missed the face Duo made as he turned back to the consul screen.  
  
"What kind of maintenance?" Duo questioned his voice an odd mix of annoyance and playfulness at the same time.  
  
Heero once again glanced at the braided man. Duo had stopped tracing the netting and was now flicking it impatiently. The motion sent small ripples up his muscled bare arm and Heero followed a ripple to Duo's extremely well put together chest. Something inside Heero began to stir and Heero immediate looked back to the consul.  
  
"I am reconfiguring the input of one of the ships minor power lines to optimize its use of the warp core," Heero stated. He didn't really know why he was answering. Suddenly he tensed as Duo's body came up right next to him and slightly behind, he could almost feel the heat from Duo's body, that feeling once again entered his body and Heero made an effort to bury it.  
  
"So the warp core powers the entire ship? Is it magic?" Duo asked. Heero stepped away from Duo. He didn't understand this new feeling he was getting or Duo's sudden interest.  
  
"Yes, No," Heero answered Duo's questions in order. Duo looked at Heero confused and Heero ignored him, he easily grabbed a hold of his netting that hung down from the level above him and pulled him self up to check on the self diagnostic. A moment later Duo was up the netting as well.  
  
"That's tuff, you must get a work out just moving around here," Duo puffed, in imitation of being out of breath. Heero watched Duo's shapely leather clad legs as they tumbled over the railing and then shook his head, focusing on the diagnostic in front of him.  
  
"Q-ball! You awake?" Duo called out suddenly behind Heero. Heero didn't pause in his reading as he heard Quatre's foot steps join them. Duo's excited voice began trying to tell Quatre about what Heero had just told him about the warp core. Quatre tried to follow but it was a little jumbled, although Duo did get the jest of it.  
  
"Trowa some times tells me about these things, he is doing something with combining the warp core energy and magical energy to make a weapon... oh I can't explain it," Quatre said. Suddenly the mind ball on his staff gave off a low glow. "Trowa will be here in a moment to help!" Quatre said.  
  
"Mov'in fast, aren't you too?" Duo asked, a bit of husk to his voice.  
  
"Duo," Quatre said, his face turning bright red. Duo elbowed Quatre, which only made the blonde blush more. By the time Trowa arrived, Quatre entire face was on fire and Trowa's concern only made it worse.  
  
"Baka," Heero dead panned. Heero watched as Duo's laughing face turned to him and slightly fell. But it was laughing again before Heero could even register the change of emotion.  
  
"Right," Duo said, gaining control of him self. Heero turned back to his consul and began typing the necessary calculations the diagnostic would need to complete. He half listened as Trowa began to explain what he was doing with the warp core and water magic.  
  
"Has anyone seen..." Wufei's voice interrupted Trowa's explanation. He seemed slightly surprised to see the four men all in engineering. "Do you still want those conversions I found?" Wufei asked Trowa after taking in the seemingly harmless situation.  
  
"Yes, thank you," Trowa said quietly. He took the hand held computer from Wufei with a nod.  
  
"I would also like to talk about those ideas I had about the Gundams with you later," Wufei stated. Trowa nodded.  
  
"What ideas?" Duo asked. Heero's eyes glanced over at Duo as his hand finished entering the commands on the control panel.  
  
"Strategies and such, Maxwell. Nothing that concerns you," Wufei stated.  
  
"Well, CHANG, I only pilot on of those Gundams that your strategies seem to be about so let's all hear it," Duo said, accenting the appropriate words.  
  
"I need a computer screen and there aren't any at hand, so I guess it will have to wait until later," Wufei began to brush off, trying his hardest not to react to Duo's banter.  
  
"Jeeze, Wu-brains, were in a fucking ship. In engineering and a two second walk to the bridge," Duo stated. His hands were on his hips just above where his almost indecent pants came up to. Heero averted his eyes.  
  
"Look, stop fighting you too," Quatre said. The attention of the remaining four turned to the blonde. "Duo is right, in order for any strategies to work everyone should be part of them. Besides, no ones knows anyone else's Gundam better than the builder. To the bridge... as long as Heero can leave what he is doing," Quatre added at the end.  
  
Heero didn't like the attention on him and quickly nodded. Quatre led them all to the bridge where Wufei started his ideas of ways that the Gundams could work together. The conversation grew long and at times heated but the end result was amazing and that day they started practicing, connecting each person in turn with the bridge.  
_  
"Heero, you in there?" Duo's voice broke Heero out of his memory.  
  
"Roger, what is the situation?" Heero stated.  
  
"There isn't one, chill. We are just giving a demo. Let's'c we, as in me you and the Wuffers, are still waiting in formation. Trowa has several targets set out waiting for you to blow up and Q-ball is waiting for conformation from Assandra to begin," Duo stated.  
  
"Roger," Heero dead panned.  
  
"Man I wasn't giving a report, there are more words in the English language than Roger and Confirmed ya know," Duo muttered. Heero briefly wondered why Duo was still on his com. He turned his head and studied Duo's image, the black sparkles seemed to have enhanced the violet intensity of his eyes and the lack of gravity had sent his untied down braid floating off to one side.  
  
"Do I have something on my face?" Duo asked. Heero narrowed his eyes and looked away.  
  
"Your hair will get in the way," Heero dead panned. He made Duo's window as small as possible his mind drifting back to his memory. That had been several months ago, when he had still not been able to pinpoint what the strange feeling was. Although it was Duo that brought out the feeling it was Quatre who had pinpointed it.  
  
The empath had talked to him right after that sudo-meeting that he had just remembered. He said the emotion Heero was experiencing was attraction that could lead to love. Heero had tried to rap his mind around the idea but the most he had been able to reason out was logical. He felt comfortable with Duo, sometimes Duo's presents was even soothing.  
  
But neither love nor attraction was emotions that Heero knew how to deal with. They were both weaknesses that would hinder his abilities. Dou had told him that the emotions Heero was feeling were unwanted because of fear and because they were new. But know they were months old, no longer new, and as far as Heero could tell he did not fear the emotions.... He just didn't want to deal with them.  
  
Duo's advances toward Heero had become less aggressive and more passive. Heero found Duo with him a lot. They worked together so well, almost to the point where they could read each others mind during scrimmages with the Gundams. Duo had told Heero that he was going to solve his aversion to emotions. Heero didn't believe that it was possible; there was nothing wrong with being strong.  
  
"I've gotten conformation, all three ships are in position to watch us," Quatre's voice came over the com and broke Heero from his thoughts. He glanced at the side of the screen; Duo's face was watching him with an almost peaceful expression.  
  
"Duo and Wufei you are to do light sparing – do not break each others Gundams! Oh and stay in side mini-sectors 18-24. Heero, Trowa's got targets set up for you, you are to seek and destroy them in order. It's a bit of an obstacle course... don't get hurt... I don't know what it is exactly," Quatre muttered at the end.  
  
"Roger," Heero dead panned. Cassandra must have set it up for him.  
  
"You may begin at any time," Quatre finished. Heero glanced to see if Duo's face was still watching him, but it was gone. For some reason there was a pull on his chest but ignored it. The light from his staff brightened as his sensors told him where the first target was. His mind easily dropped the little bit it needed to concentrate completely on the task at hand.

mtc


	15. Power

Companions of a Kind - Power  
  
Zechs kept his face smooth and calm, despite the amazement that ran through his mind as the giant Gundam came out of the Shiroy's hidden cargo bay. The Companion would always be the Shiroy to Zechs, it was Cassandra's ship and the young mages were playing her cards weather they knew it or not.  
  
"Are all captions ready for the demonstration?" Quatre's voice asked over the com. Noin answered for Zechs as Relena stepped up beside her brother.  
  
"Which one do you think Heero is in?" Relena asked her voice a little breathless. Zechs slightly raised an eye brow.  
  
"I wasn't told," Zechs responded. Relena's posture fell slightly but Zech soon stopped paying attention as his ships screen zoomed in on the three Gundams and with a flash of light one of the three burst out of the zoomed in range and the remaining two faced each other.  
  
"If you can tap into the coms of any of the, Companions, ships and Gundams do so," Zechs ordered. His eyes never left the Gundams that were now engaged in a very flashy battle.  
  
The darker of the two suits was so dark most of it blended in with space, only its outline and the glowing green line that made up the end of a scythe were visible. The others colors were bright compared to space. Whites, accented with darker blues and greens made each of the Gundam's moves traceable. A double ended trident, with the same green glowing light, was seated in the Gundam's giant hands.  
  
Suddenly the lighter Gundam moved the double ended trident to one hand and the jaws of a dragon dropped over the now empty hand. The light of the darker Gundam's engines burst out flinging the Gundam up but the dragon head followed it as fire began streaming out of its mouth.  
  
Zechs squinted as the outline of the darker Gundam changed directions impossibly fast. The red pattern what had looked like part of the arm of the Gundam shot forward, gaining its own booster rockets, toward the lighter Gundam. The lighter Gundam barely dodged but had its trident up and blocked the darker Gundam's scythe. The power struggle made the two light energies crackle and spit with energy, the light bending and flexing with the strength exerted upon it.  
  
Zech's eyes reluctantly moved from the power struggle as another light caught them, a ball in the chest of the darker Gundam was beginning to glow red. The glowing red suddenly got so bright that Zechs had to look away and when he looked back the two Gundams were once again facing each other. The Gundamium on the arm of the lighter one was blurred, the sharp surfaces melted together. Zechs watched as the lighter Gundam tried to move its hand, only the flinch of fingers responded.  
  
Then the same red glow filled the ball on the chest of the lighter one. This time Zech refused to look away, the light brightened to a blinding intensity and then all gathered into a point at the front and center of the ball. It looked like a burning shooting star as it shot out at the darker Gundam – that now had its engines on full and was flying in as wiggly a line as possible to get away. The lighter Gundam missed the first time but was close on the darker Gundam's tail. Zechs almost couldn't trace their movements the Gundams moved so fast, the lighter one shooting at the same time.  
  
Zechs glanced at the man at the control board as a crackling came over the com and then voices that quickly got louder.  
  
"Fei, don't hit my engines! I'll blow up and Heero will kick your ass if you kill me."  
  
"Maxwell! You melted Nataku's arm, it will take hours to fix... if the parts are even available!"  
  
"It's not my fault you didn't dodge fast enough."  
  
"We were told not to actually fight... idiot! Now you will pay for your stupidity."  
  
Zechs cringed as he heard the sound of an explosion and then the thump of something hitting something else.  
  
"WU! GOD DAMN IT!! That hurt you ass hole."  
  
Suddenly the darker Gundam stopped and shot straight up, its arms disappearing in front of its body before they were outlined by a misty gray color.  
  
"Both of you knock it off right now! Duo you finish that attack and I'll get you cleaning duty on all the ship in the area for the rest of your life. Wufei rein in your temper, Cassandra will have the parts to fix it, and we have a week, only the outer shell is melted. Thank god you seemed to remember to at least tone down your attacks," Quatre's voice said exasperatedly.  
  
Zechs watched as the gray slowly dissipated for the darker of the Gundams and the two mecha came face to face again.  
  
"Wufei head back to the Companion. Duo I want you to say out and ready," Quatre's voice said much more calmly.  
  
"Why will Maxwell stay out and for what purpose?"  
  
"Duo's Gundam is not damaged and his abilities may be able to save Heero if this thing that Cassandra set up is too much for him," Quatre's voice said darkly.  
  
"Too much, nothing is too much for Heero."  
  
"I would love to agree with you Wufei, but I can't. We can talk later for now go back to the Companion. Zechs and Treize seem so excited to hear our explanation that they are ease dropping early. Feel free to start a running monologue over the com and send it to the Enterprise as well," Quatre's voice ordered.  
  
"Find the third Gundam and zoom in on its movements," Zechs ordered after the com had gone silent and the lighter of the Gundams had moved back to the Companion.  
  
"I wonder if it was Dorothy's idea to listen in, Treize is normally more honorable than that. Heero is in the Gundam we are going to watch," Zech blinked at the soft sigh that came out of his sister's lips. "All the other pilots seem to have a good impression of him. Zechs, have you ever felt an instant connection to someone?" Relena's voice was dreamy. Zechs unconsciously glanced at Noin before refocusing on the screen.  
  
A dirty yellow beam shot out of the circle on the Gundams chest, incinerating the object before it.  
  
"Target eight destroyed, moving to nine," A cold voice dead panned over the com.  
  
"Zechs sir, that was a block of pure Gundamium," Noin's disbelieving voice barely registered in Zechs mind as the Gundam spun backwards and dove down lower. Suddenly it came under heavy phasor fire from seemingly ever direction. The giant metal Gundam suddenly seemed nimble as it darted in and out of the beams of fire, discovering a pattern where there was none.  
  
Then suddenly a sword, the same glowing green light making up everything but the hilt, which reminded Zechs of the light sabers in the old star wars earth movies, was pulled out of the Gundams back. The Gundam shot forward, bouncing the phasor fire off it and making it hit the shielded box that the gun was in. The shield glowed for a moment as the phasor fire dissipated on its surface.  
  
Zech's eyes widened as the light sword came down on the shield and cut it like a hot knife through butter. The Gundam spun impossibly fast and cut through another and another, until the phasor fire was gone. The Gundam stilled for a moment before one arm shot out and a flaming red beam shot out of the palm hitting something that Zechs had not seen. The thing exploded with a force that made the shield of Epyon shake.  
  
"What was that?" Zechs questioned.  
  
"I don't know sir, the sensors can't identify the type of energy," Noin answered.  
  
"Target nine destroyed moving to target ten," the same voice stated.  
  
"What Heero just destroyed was a hidden ball of pure energy. Hidden means that the energy was not traceable by sensors, Heero had to use the magic of the mind to find it. I will say what a ball of pure energy is as best I can, sense I have never seen one, only read about them. Pure energy is like the idea of kai and chi back on earth a long time ago, it was believed that if one could put their mind, body and sprit into perfect harmony than they could use that energy as a physical weapon," a logical low voice explained over the com.  
  
"Do you want me to stay on this frequency or on the pilots?" Noin asked.  
  
"Go back to the pilots," Zech said absently. His eyes were glued to the Gundam as it streaked through space.  
  
"Target confirmed," the voice dead panned. "Commencing operation."  
  
Suddenly space seemed to fill up with light as small explosions filled the area the Gundam was occupying.  
  
"Heero!" Relena's voice screamed as a thud was heard over the com followed by a grunt. Zech tried not to look away as the light faded.  
  
"Those were photon torpedoes, put on motion sensors at least five all exploded virtually on contact with the Gundam. I will be extremely surprised if the Gundam survived," Noin stated.  
  
"No Heero!" Relena wailed. Zech couldn't help himself and he looked worriedly at his sister. She had always been dramatic, but falling to the floor crying over a boy that she had not even met was a bit much.  
  
Zech watched his sister confused until Noin's intake of breath pulled him back to the screen. From the dissipating light of the explosion the shape of the Gundam could be made out. Its green eyes seemed to glow as it moved the green glow moving just a little slower than the actual eyes as the Gundam crossed its ankles and put its arms in a cross over its chest.  
  
Zechs could have sworn that he could hear the air rush around the Gundam as it began to spin, faster and faster and faster, then its engines exploded upward, leaving behind a perfectly round ball of dark blue and red. The Gundam above it shot its arms and legs out to stop its rotation and the thrusters changed direction as it seemed to slowly float down, its hands cupping, but not touching the ball of Very hard to make especially this combination of fire and water... but extremely powerful. This ball is about equal to the power of 30 phonton torpedoes. I suggest you put up your shields, if they are not already up. The bass elements make up everything still, despite the beliefs and advances of science. Although this can also be explained scientifically, the bass elements are also made out of atoms and everything that we have found smaller..."  
  
Zechs tuned out the running commentary that Noin had turned back to and focused on the Gundam as it turned with the ball floating in its hand. It's very slowly moved its hands to the back of the ball and gave a light push.  
  
"The target is still, so there is no need to risk the combination exploding early by making it go fast. If needed the 'skin' protecting the energy inside can be made thicker and even this ball can have its direction changed by its maker..."  
  
"Heero's alive?" Relena's cry of happiness drowned out the explanation. Zech rolled his eyes at his sister's extremely late reaction as the combination suddenly met with a box of some kind.  
  
"The box is a mix of the three strongest metals know in the universe... each has its own layer surrounded by fully energized force shields..." Noin stated. She trailed off at the end as the circle of water and fire seemed to slowly eat the box, expanding to accommodate the boxes larger size. Then time seemed to slow down; the particles in the air got very big and demanded Zech's attention as they were surrounded by a bright purple light.  
  
The dirty yellow of Heero's power shield was lost from sight as the area was blinded by the mixing and swirling of red and blue. Zechs ship rocked, throwing everyone to one side as the wave of energy followed it.  
  
"Damage to the port shields, shields down to 10% in sectors 231-467, rerouting power," Noins voice called out over read alert. Zechs let go of the terminal he had kept from falling over on, and released his hold on his sister. Her eyes were bright and shining from her tears, but still held the same secret strength in them as they looked only at the Gundam.  
  
"Start repairs as soon as possible and switch back to the pilots com," Zech ordered.  
  
"Nimu kiro," Zech caught the pilots, Heero's, last words as he emotionlessly gave them to the world.  
  
"Report back to the Companion and begin..." Quatre's voice started commanding Heero.  
  
"Turn it off," Zech ordered.  
  
"But brother, Heero might speak again," Relena protested as Zechs orders were being completed.  
  
"Do not worry, we will see Heero again. In fact I believe we will be seeing a lot of everyone for a while," Zech answered. He easily walked back to the captions chair and sat.  
  
"So the Federation will team up with White Fang and Romafeller?" Noin questioned.  
  
"They would be stupid not to. Not only will they be missing out on a chance to do their exploring work, but their lack of participation will change the balance of power in the solar system. If they don't help than the most powerful weapons in existence will only be loyal to their enemies and the Federation will lose its control," Relena suddenly explained her voice logical and cold.  
  
Zechs eyed his sister as she stood slightly behind his chair, her self appointed spot sense he refused to support her need to travel with him more. He wondered not for the first time if maybe she had gotten physically hurt when the Sanque kingdom had been destroyed. He wished that he could have been their to raise her, maybe she would have come out more stable if she had not been raised as the daughter of a man who was constantly surrounded by guards. If he had been there when those guards were all slaughtered in front of Relena's eyes... as well as her surrogate father... maybe she would have come out different.  
  
"There is nothing wrong with me, brother," Relena stated. Zech shivered Relena's uncanny ability to seemingly read peoples mind gave him the chills. It was what had made her such a good diplomat, even at the young age of 15 when she had picked up in her fathers shoes. But then Zech's true name had gotten out and Relena had abandoned her work to come 'cure' him.  
  
"I am very passionate about my emotions, and choose to live in the moment. My emotions do not affect my ability to evaluate situations," Relena stated. Her voice was the perfect warmth but stern combination that she used in political dealings. The 'I'm rite, but only because you helped me,' voice, even if you did nothing of the sort.  
  
"Noin, how long until the ships repairs are done?" Zech asked, ignoring Relena before she could confuse him any more.  
  
"At least four hours, I've already sent teams to begin the work," Noin answered.  
  
"I want both the audio and video files sent to my quarters as well as all the data the computer gathered. The game has just begun," Zech said. Zech turned; missing the concerned look Noin had given him and walked to his quarters.  
  
The power the boys possessed was immense. He must discover either there secret or their weakness to gain even a bit of power. But did they have a weakness if Cassandra was working with them? Why was Cassandra acting as their benefactor? Cassandra had enough dirt and contacts within every political system that she could single handedly take over the universe. Hell, even Zechs owed her the occasional favor. But Cassandra's help had always come at a price, and the more interesting the product the steeper the price.  
  
Zechs settled himself in his big chair and began sifting through the files Noin had sent him. So many mysteries surrounded the five young mages, but mysteries were meant to be solved.  
  
mtc 


	16. Interludes of a week Part 1

Companions of a Kind – Interludes of a week Part I 

"I'm truly sorry, but the Companion is just too small to take on more passengers. And even if is was agreed upon to stay in a cargo bay the ship is very raw, there are opened parts in the inside and other things that can be easily moved out of alignment," Quatre explained patiently. 

"Than what ship do you propose should be used as neutral ground?" Rikers voice stated a hint of annoyance graced his features. 

Quatre frowned on the inside but kept his face diplomatic. Riker was not as easy to deal with as Picard and for some reason the Enterprise's caption seemed to just be sitting in his chair on the bridge deep in thought. 

"I have only seen your ship, so I am not the best person to judge, but according to our data the Enterprise is set up for diplomatic missions. It is the largest and most experienced ship in these matters," Quatre answered, trying to keep his voice from sounding condescending. 

"I would offer my ship, but I have yet to get Zech to come aboard," Treize politely added, his face giving a trusting but unnerving smile. 

"And you would no sooner enter my ship," Zech replied calmly. "I understand the trouble with the Shiroy, Cassandra only allowed two people aboard at a time, however the Federation has a bounty on my head…" 

"You could just come on as Milliardo Peacecraft, then the Federation could turn a blind eye," Treize smoothly replied. 

"I have long lost the right to that name, as you well know. The Federation…" 

"You will go under my protection, brother," Relena interrupted. "As an ambassador representing the Federation my word is law, you will not be pardoned but you are a necessary part of a new alliance and hence shall be treated as such. Prepare you vessel Caption Picard, and double security." 

"Relena I don't want you involved in this," Zech said. He stood with his words and reached out for Relena's arm. 

"I am not a child and right now I am exercising my diplomatic power, brother, this is my decision. Caption Picard, do you agree?" Relena said as she stepped away from her brother and toward the screen. Picard's face looked up at the screen for the first time; clear eyes looked out of wrinkled sockets. 

"If all parties are in agreement, that we will do our part," Picard stated. 

"The Companion agrees," Quatre quickly stated. 

"As does White Fang," Relena responded. 

"I'm sorry Relena but you still do not speak for me, but I will agree none the less sense there is no other choice," Zech's voice came from behind Relena who was taking up the screen. 

"Romefeller agrees, on the condition that body guards can be brought which I believe is acceptable according to Federation policies," Treize stated. 

"It is acceptable; the Enterprise will be prepared to accept people in one hour. Enterprise out," Picard stated. The Enterprise's screen soon went blank followed quickly by White Fang and Romefeller. Quatre gracefully fell back into one of the chairs in bridge and rubbed his temples. He jumped slightly when warm hands began rubbing his shoulders. 

"I hate politics," Quatre stated his voice tired. 

"But you are so good at them," Trowa's dead voice stated. Quatre relaxed as Trowa's hands found a knot in his neck and began their work. 

"That is because I have to be, if everyone could just get along than no body would need them," Quatre said. He felt his eyelids starting to drop. 

"Hum," Trowa said so quietly that Quatre almost missed it. He was about to ask but suddenly Trowa's hands stopped their work on his shoulders and scooped him out of the chair with ease. 

"Trowa, I can walk," Quatre said as he grabbed onto Trowa's neck for dear life. 

"We need to tell everyone else that we will be making trips to the Enterprise regularly and work out a bridge schedule," Trowa said evasively. 

"Right, where's Heero?" Quatre questioned more to himself than Trowa. The white crystal began to glow on his staff. "We need to know what Cassandra's plans are." Quatre wiggled out of Trowa's arms to the disappointment of the taller man. 

Everyone needs to be on the bridge in 15 minutesTrowa suddenly heard Quatre's voice in his head. "I'm going to go make the schedule," Quatre announced as he took Trowa's hand and led him back to the bridge. 

An hour later

"Sir we can still change our minds," Riker stated as he, Picard, Troy and Worf entered the main transporter room. 

"It will work out #1. I have heard of Relena's diplomatic abilities and she it not to be taken lightly, we can't back out now even if we had a choice," Picard answered. Ricker shook his head; he couldn't believe that the girl of no more than 18 could possible have any ability in diplomacy. 

"Energizing from Romefeller," the engineer working the panel announced. 

Ricker watched as three bodies slowly materialized onto the brightly lit platform, each to their own circle. The man in the front most circle was obviously Treize and not just because he was the only male. His form was taller in person than Riker had thought, his uniform was pristine and he held himself like a king. 

On his left was tall woman, her skin pale against the dark top of the uniform. Round glasses covered a clearly manipulative face and the backs of them disappeared under two braided low buns. On his right was a shorter young woman, about the same age as Relena. Long blond hair fell down past her waist and split eye brows gave her bright blue eyes a cunning feel. She was dressed in a long purple dress, the top cut low but covered in a light mesh that still hid her charms. A black choker looked to be painted onto her neck. 

"On my left is my second officer, Lady Une. And on my right is my niece and security officer Dorothy Cadilonia," Treize introduced. 

"Welcome aboard the Enterprise. Lt. Worf will show you around," Piccard said pleasantly. Worf stepped forward prepared to speak but Dorothy beat him to it. 

"The pleasure is ours. I would be delighted to hear more about Klingon culture while we are on tour," Dorothy said as she stepped down and took Worf's arm. "War is one of the most beautiful art forms…" Dorothy started as she pulled Worf toward the door. Worf glanced behind to see Lady Une and Treize following and then continued. Riker tried not to show his pity for his friend on his face. 

"Energizing White Fang," the engineer stated again. Riker turned his attention once again to the transporters. 

As if it was the magic number, three people slowly materialized, Zech in the center flanked by two females. Zech was not at all what Riker had expected to be the leader of White Fang, on screen or here in person. His military training and honorable atmosphere seemed to bleed into the walls around him, like Treize he was taller than he looked, and Riker could now see that his white blond hair fell almost down to his knees. 

"I maintain diplomatic peace, any violence against Zech Merquise will be immediately noted and court-martialed as offence toward me," Relena's clear voice pulled Rikers attention to the girl. She looked even younger in person. Long dirty blond hair was tied back by a braided half pony tail, she held herself with strength but was still modest which matched her simple short skirted gray half suit that had been favored back in the 20th century. 

"I understand, and will up hold my end. Councilor Troy will show you around the ship," Picard stated. 

"Thank you, Caption. As you know this is my sister Relena Peacecraft and to my right is my security chief and second in command Commander Noin," Zech stated. His voice was lower in person. 

Noin was just a little shorter than Zech, unnatural blue hair covered half her face and perfectly matched the White Fang uniform that disguised her body enough that she could easily be mistaken as a male soldier, if her face had not been so feminine and opened. 

Riker's eyes followed them as they followed Troy. He raised an eye brow as Relena stopped and sternly insisted on staying behind. 

"Relena, this is stupid," Noin's soft voice was heard for the first time. 

"You have no right to tell me what is right and wrong, I am waiting for Heero!" Relena's voice took on a whinny tone that made Riker want to cover his ears and blink. What happened to the strong diplomat that they had been talking to? 

Apparently Relena's last statement had been the final word, for Zech and Noin walked out of the room, shaking their heads while Relena smugly leaned against the wall. 

"Energizing the Mages," the engineer stated. 

Riker watched as five forms materialized, the youths with the power to destroy planets. 

"HEERO!" A voice screeched from behind Riker. Riker didn't even get a chance to turn around before a blur of gray and dirty blond streaked past him and latched itself onto Heero. There was a moment of still and then suddenly Heero's muscles seem to work on their own accord and Relena was pushed toward Riker who caught her before she could hit the ground. 

"Heero, that is not the way you greet your future wife!" Relena snapped as she righted herself and stomped forward. 

"Future wife? Heero why didn't you tell me you were engaged?" Duo's voice joked. Heero's eye brows furrowed for a moment as he seemed to try and understand the situation. 

"I don't have a future wife," Heero eventually dead panned into the silence. 

"Of course you do, silly. Now come over her and escort me through the ship - you have been on it before – like a good betrothed," Relena said coming forward again. Heero's body tensed and quickly took up a fighting position. Duo intervened, easily stepping in front of Relena. 

"Look lady, no one here knows what you are talking about and Heero very clearly doesn't want you to touch him, so for your own safety, you need to back off now," Duo said. He voice was no longer joking but coaxing as if talking to a rabid animal. 

"Heero doesn't know what he wants because he can't get past his conditioning, and only a woman's touch can cure him of that. Now you should back off before I count this as an act of evil intent toward an unguarded ambassador and have you court-martialed," Relena stated, her voice mimicking Duo's. Duo blinked, and Rikers jaw dropped. Originally he thought that Relena had multiple personality disorder but now she was using her diplomatic knowledge to black mail Duo. 

"Lady, I don't even know what…" Duo started but Quatre cut him off. 

"Heero, this is an order, while we are on the ship you are to escort Relena as she has asked. Act as if you are her personal body guard and don't hurt her," Quatre's voice was firm. Duo's face dropped as if he had just been shot in the back while Relena began to shine with triumph. 

"Shall we go than," Riker said a bit absently as he watched Relena wrap her arms around Heero's arm. Heero flinched as if he was going to react but suppressed it; Relena's happy face seemed deceptively oblivious to the entire situation. 

The Tour

I can't take this! Why Q? WHY!?!?!Duo finally shouted in Quatre's mind. One hand was yanking his braid so hard that he thought his hair was going to come out while the other fingered his staff. For the last 30 minutes Relena had had her hands all over Heero. She dragged him around as if he was a puppy asking him stupid question and then demanding an answer as if the world depended on it. Duo's one solace was that Heero was on guard the entire time, controlling his reactions to match Quatre's orders. 

I know it's hard but…Quatre started. 

"I don't think so; you could be conspiring behind my back. No talking unless everyone can hear it," Relena suddenly popped up between Duo and Quatre before bouncing back to Heero's arm. Heero seemed to brace himself for impact as she latched back on. 

"I asked Quatre why he ordered Heero to do what he is doing," Duo said extremely loud and sarcastic. Relena seemed to be completely absorbed in what ever she was doing to Heero and made no reply. 

"This is a very touchy situation, we don't have to be nice to Relena because we can't be court-martialed - which is like being punished by the law enforcement of this dimension - however we need White Fang to defend our homes, and if Relena doesn't support them than they will be forced to leave because the Federation will arrest them. So we need Relena's support and that means Heero has to put up with this for the next week," Quatre explained. 

"No! It's not fair," Duo wailed as he put most of his weight on Quatre's shoulder. 

"Oh it's so true! You feel my pain, Heero and I only have a week to get married. It's not enough time!" Relena suddenly said as she danced back to Heero's side. Heero blinked at Quatre a few times before resuming his normal look and following Relena. 

"You can't let them!" Duo cried into Quatre's shoulder. 

"Duo, get a hold of your self. Heero has to say 'I do' and I doubt that they will ever happen. He is very clearly into you," Wufei suddenly said. Duo whipped up from his position on Quatre's shoulder… eyes magically dry. 

"Fei! You really love me too! You are right; I will survive the week besides we can always just keep Heero on the Companion because this is the only time all five of us are coming down at once. Heero can have bridge duty for a week!" Duo said excitedly. 

"I don't think so, Heero must come down an even number of times or else you are breaking diplomatic policy," Relena suddenly popped up in front of Duo. Duo clutched his heart as it skipped a beat as the scary appearance. 

"Show me this diplomatic policy," Duo shot back, puffing up with pride. 

"Gladly," Relena stated. She suddenly stood her full height and a pair of black thick rimmed square reading glasses came out of the front of her suit pocket followed by a one of the mini computers out of her purse. Duo shrunk as Relena scrolled down. 

"Section 8 paragraph 3-7: No parties, persons, beings or tasks shall be excluded from original scheduling due to any circumstance other than a breaking of contract…" Relena started to read. Duo's moan drowned out her talking and this time all seven people stopped to see what was wrong. 

"Duo, are you funct… feeling well?" Heero dead panned. Duo looked over at Heero just as Relena came and draped herself over his back. Heero's face remained passive as if no one was there. 

"I'll survive, He," Duo stated as he watched Relena's mouth get dangerously close to Heero's ear. 

"Riker, if we could finish this up," Wufei suddenly said into the silence. Riker managed to pull his confused face into order and nodded. 

"This way please," Riker stated. Relena pulled Heero around and once again began chatting and commenting. Duo couldn't take his eyes off her and would have run into something if not for Quatre and Trowa on either side of him. 

Epyon, 5 days till attack

Zech folded his white gloved hands together and rested his elbows on the desk in front of him. His clear blue eyes reflected the glow of the computer terminal, as he leaned in closer, placing his chin on his hands. The dimly lit room faded from his attention as his monitor flickered and then faded out. A small deliberate movement caught the corner of his eye, alerting him to the presents of another in his room. There was only one person who could get past his ships shields and mass of security to end up in his personal quarters undetected. 

"Why are you helping the Mages?" Zech's low gruff voice commanded an answer. 

"Stop spying on my ship," Cassandra's cold ambiguous voice stated in return. 

"This is how the game is played," Zech answered. His eyes never left the crackling terminal, the signal now scrambled beyond repair. 

"Games," Cassandra's voice echoed into the ghostly eeriness. Zech shivered, the room suddenly seemed cold, even for the emptiness of space. "Games riddles and rhymes. Toil, trial and time," Cassandra's voice took on arterial undertones as it became thinner. Goose bumps popped up on Zech's arms, even under his grey trench coat. "Keep my out of your game," Cassandra's last word was eaten up by the sound of Zech's chair skidding around as he stood. But Cassandra's form had already disappeared. 

Zech slowly turned a circle, eyes scanning the outline of his sparse furniture and then coming to rest on the stars outside his window. They sparkled and shown, a few tinted from the planet closest to them. 

"Computer, Lights… Zech what's wrong?" Noins voice asked behind him. It carried more on it than an officer to a commander should… or was that Zech's imagination? Zech widened his eyes; he had closed them when the bright lights had made their initial assault. 

"Noin, how can the person providing the fuel not have anything to do with the ship?" Zech asked. 

"By not accepting payment so at the same time not accepting fault," Noin answered slowly. Zech grabbed the side of his coat and flourished it as he turned. 

"But she still provided the fuel. And I am still missing a piece of this puzzle," Zech responded. He looked up into Noin's face and smiled at the carefully masked confusion shown by the ever so slightly down turn of her lips. 

"Did you come to give me a report?" Zech asked. Noin nodded slowly. "Good, than give it. War is a game Noin, and I am suddenly unsure weather I am a queen or just another pawn." 

Enterprise 3 days till attack

"Explain to me one more time why Heero is not present at this meeting," Relena's steady condescending diplomat voice had the barest hint of a whine to it. 

"Because, Miss Relena, Heero is needed on the Companion. He is in charge of Engineering which has fallen behind and needs to be in top shape in the next few days," Quatre very patiently explained. "Trowa, would you please get me some tea," Quatre asked under his breath. Trowa gave his shoulder a squeeze as Relena began to speak again. 

"And he can't take a break for an important strategy meeting?" Relena asked exasperatedly. 

"No, and even if he could he wouldn't," Wufei cut in. "Heero is not known for his strategies in group fighting. Although he executes his orders perfectly if every move is not dictated he often forgets he has allies. Which is why we are having this meeting which will begin now with only these people present," Wufei said his voice stern. He stood with his mini computer in hand and walked to the main screen. All heads turning with his movement. Seated around the table were Picard, Geordi, Data, Troy, Wufei, Quatre, Zech's, Relena, Treize and Lady Une. Standing behind their affiliated were the security officers and various red shirts to make sure there were no repeats of the incident on the Companion. 

Quatre's eyes glanced over as Trowa set down his tea and retook his position at his back. He absently sipped his tea as Wufei gave a short presentation basically refreshing everyone presents memory of the last three days worth of information sharing. It was short sweet and to the point… much like Wufei himself. As the Chinese mage took his seat, Piccard took control of the meeting. 

"Our sensors have picked up the approaching fleets. They are fewer in number than originally thought and a few are damaged," Piccard stated. 

"My ships are doing their job," Zech's added before Piccard could continue. "Like we discussed earlier most of my ships are not made for opened combat so they are using hit and run tactics to stall and minimize the approaching threat. I have 20 ships out there." 

"How many ships have you lost?" Treize asked. 

"None, although two have taken enough damage to put them out of commission," Zech's answered, a hint of pride in his voice. 

"Treize, your fleet has also shown up on sensors," Piccard once again took control of the meeting. "The federation has sent all the ships in the area toward us, as you already know, three of them are orbiting with us while four more are in long sensor range… however with the speed our enemies are approaching it will be doubtful that the main body of the fleet will arrive in time." 

"The heads are all still discussing how to interoperate the prime directive, no doubt," Treize began. "So that still leaves out ships out numbered: 18 from White Fang, 25 from Romefeller, 7 from the Federation, and 5 from the Companion. Against 75 known ships all war birds or their equals." 

"More from the Federations may still be just out of range," Worf interjected. 

"It is a good thing to hope for but not count on," Wufei began. "We shall assume we have the 55 ships counted as of now. This is not enough ships to form a wall to protect the planets if they are targeted." 

"What if we set up some kind of shield," Geordi threw out the idea. 

"It would work in theory, but we would have to find the power to sustain it," Data's quick mind was already done with the calculations. 

"How much power?" Geordi asked. 

"Approximately four warp cores would sustain it for two hours," Data calmly returned. 

"We need every ship we can get in the fight," Treize interjected. "What about Mage power?" 

"We need more time to study your technology if we are to make shields against it. In the demonstration Heero had his magical shields up but every none magical weapon thrown at it went through… only the Gundanium kept him from being blown apart. Trowa, what is your understanding of the warp core?" Quatre asked. 

"It is not a living energy, like ours, instead it is a reaction between chemicals which will be difficult to match with our bass elemental magic," Trowa explained. His one green eye rested on Quatre the entire time. "Heero has done more with it than I." 

"See, there is a reason for him to be here!" Relena said triumphantly. The room was silent for a moment, the awkwardness of her childish out burst almost breathable. 

"The point is, not in time at least, our staff magic and your technology is not compatible," Wufei broke the silence. 

"Cassandra has the ability to generate the power and the shield," Zech suddenly stated. 

"But she is not here," Treize's voice seemed to be asking a question instead of the statement he had just made. 

"How can she generate that kind of power?" Wufei asked, he leaned forward trying to get Zech's to answer faster. 

"Who is Cassandra," Data's innocent questioning voice made Wufei turn his head. 

"Cassandra gave us the ship," Quatre answered. The usual uncertainty crossed his features at the mention of the ships acting ghost. "And she is still on board, although we rarely see her. For some reason I have no doubt that what Zechs says is true." Quatre felt a shiver run up his spine. Trowa's warm hand on his shoulder stopped it from penetrating his brain and his reached up one of his own to hold Trowa's there. 

"I get a very fearful feeling from you, Quatre, when you talked about Cassandra," Troy pointed out. 

"My Uchuu no kokoro can not sense Cassandra, and I question her loyalties and motives," Quatre responded. 

"Cassandra's loyalties are never in question, for they are only to herself," Zechs quietly added. "If you have a way of asking her, do so. The worst she can do is say no." 

"Wait, if this Cassandra person can generate enough power to shield a small galaxy, than why are we worried about the approaching fleet?" Geordi suddenly asked. 

"Because Cassandra won't help in the fight, and it is pointless to ask her for help in shielding," Treize responded. "Lets get down to strategies before the meeting gets away from us." 

mtc


	17. Interludes of a week part 2

Companions of a Kind – Interludes of a week part 2 

Duo glanced at Quatre's tired face as he beamed up to the Companion. Quatre's face was tired and warn, like he had been using his brain too much. Duo thanked his lucky stars that he did not have to take part in the strategy meetings being held between the three allied parties. Duo followed Heero and took Quatre's little circle to beam down to the Enterprise. 

"Here are the reports, memorize the strategies we came up with and add your own ideas," Wufei's voice commanded. 

"Yes, sir Wu," Duo said in mock seriousness as the transporter beam lit up the area around him, blurring the world. He blinked as suddenly he was standing on the Enterprise. 

"I don't know if I am every going to get used to that," Duo said, letting his body lean in Heero's direction. He almost fell over before he realized that Heero had already walked off the platform and was heading out the door. 

"Wait up!" Duo yelled much louder than necessary. He easily jumped down the few stairs and slid out the closing door before it even had time to register his need to pass. 

A glimpse of green told him that Heero was just around the next corner when a screech assaulted his ears and stopped him dead in his tracks. 

"Heero! My HEERRROOOOO!" 

Duo cringed and realized that Heero had probably been running from Relena, who had some how been held back and unable to wait for him in the transporter room after the meeting. A giddy feeling spread from his gut to his head at Heero's first actual sign that he did not enjoy Relena's company. Not that Duo didn't already know that but knowing and seeing were two entirely different things. 

Duo glanced longingly once as he passed the hallway that Heero had turned down, but it was empty, as he walked forward toward the turbo lifts. He silently prayed that Relena would not follow him and that Heero was heading toward where he thought Heero would head… Engineering. Heero was working on some sort of magic and technology fusion and Duo helped when he could. 

"Duo, although I despise addressing you, where, pray you, is Heero?" Relena's sweet voice didn't mask the threats buried in the undertones. Duo didn't slow his pace as the witch came up beside him. 

"I do not know, Ms. Relena, he is probably headed for the bridge. He and Trowa were talking about some new weapon that Trowa worked out," Duo said as politely as possible. It wasn't a lie; He and Trowa had been working on weapons semi-recently. And Duo really didn't know where Heero had been heading. 

"Why don't you contact him with that stick of yours for me," Relena asked. Duo stopped her hand as it reached for his arm to slow him down. 

"Like I could even if I wanted to… you band us from using mind speech, remember. Or do I get to add hypocrite to my list of words to describe you by?" Duo asked his voice still firmly polite. He felt Relena stop but didn't stop with her, charging straight into the turbo lift as the people who were waiting for it held the door for him. 

He got a glance at Relena's flushed face, her eyes widened in shock but her mouth a thin angry white line. Duo's face crinkled into a smile as he stuck his tongue out at her frozen image, and left it there until the doors to the turbo lift were closed. 

"Relena is very bad about holding grudges," A soft female voice said behind Duo. Duo gracefully turned, maneuvering his staff so it didn't hit anyone in the half filled turbo lift. He wrinkled his nose as he had to turn up his face to look at the woman who had spoken to him. 

"I think I already got that grudge before I stuck my tongue out at her, Noin," Duo laughed. 

"Based on the look on her face I would agree. What did you do?" Noin asked. Her voice was devoid of humor but still gentle – Duo immediately felt at ease with Zech's security officer. Even though this was his first time really talking to her one on one. 

"I called her a hypocrite," Duo proclaimed. Noin blanched, loosing her composure for a moment before controlling herself. Duo grinned as a soft chuckle barely escaped her lips. 

"Of all the things to call her, why that?" Noin finally asked. Duo wildly gestured as he told a very elaborate version of what Relena had asked. Noin stayed quiet through the entire thing. Her face kept its small smile as the story ended and Duo's arms settled to his sides. 

"She will be even angrier now, especially sense it is partly true. Be careful Duo, Relena it not physically strong, but her mind is sharper than any sword I have ever handled. The bridge is my stop, I hope we have time to speak again," Noin said as she exited the lift. Duo watched her go before his mind suddenly registered where he was. Engineering was 20 floors down! He had forgotten to get off. 

With a curse he used the voice control to take him to Engineering. Duo spent the ride quiet, one of the extremely rare occasions, his mind dwelling on Noin's warning. A few Starfleet officers came in and out, their black based uniforms all blurring together in his mind before the lift finally got to it destination. 

"Heya Gord," Duo's nickname for Geordi, "Is Heero around?" Duo asked. His braided hair followed his body as he turned a circle looking for his soldier boy. 

"I have not seen him. Duo we are kinda busy in here today, could I talk you into maybe using some holodeck time or something," Geordi said distractedly. Duo's insides fell, although he kept his fake smile plastered to his face. 

"Sure, I'll catch you guys later," Duo said as he turned and headed for a random hallway. He wandered for a time, disappointed by the lack of people stopping and asking him about his staff and powers. He wandered back to the turbo lift, sure there would be some one there to talk to but it was empty. 

"Holodeck," Duo stated. Then his voice dropped to a mumble. "Duo, you're alone again. No, don't feel sorry for you're self. Alone is the best place for you. Imaginary friends are always the best…" Duo stopped talking to himself as the turbo lift doors opened to an empty hallway. 

"Yes empty, will Relena take Heero from me? No she can't! Duo, what's wrong with you… you don't get depressed! Bucker up dude!..." Duo walked right past the first holodeck and didn't notice the second one until the door hissed opened right next to his ear. Duo stopped, a fake smile plastered on his face having talked him self back into his usual state of excessive fake cheeriness. 

"Duo Maxwell?" An old looking butler said. His voice had an English accent which matched his long 20th century suite and the towel folded over one bent arm. 

"Au ya," Duo said dumbly. 

"Please come this way, we have clothing you can change into before you enter the dining hall," the old butler said. Duo blinked in confusion, his earlier troubles momentarily forgotten. 

"Well Duo, it couldn't hurt to explore," Duo said to himself. His eyes widened as he followed the Butler into what seemed to be an entrance hall… but the holodeck was only a room… wasn't it? 

"I am sorry I can not answer your question sense I don't know what a 'holodeck' is. Now through this door over there I have an outfit laid out for you, a waiter will take you to your table once you are dressed," The butler said as he opened the door. Duo blushed faintly, not realizing he had fallen into his old habit of talking out loud to himself. 

He curiously walked into the room. It was small and fairly simple. Lush cherry wood walls had minimal decorations, a small table and chairs of the same wood sat on one side while a cushioned love seat next to a dresser of sorts sat on the other. The love seat matched the cream and brown soft carpet that covered the floor. Duo reached down and touched it, expecting to feel the cold hard surface of the holodeck, surprised when it was carpet that he felt. 

"Its in the dresser young man, you don't want to keep your benefactor waiting," Duo heard the butler through the door. 

"I'm going," Duo automatically yelled. His hand caressed the rich wood of the handle before he pulled it smoothly opened. He raised an eyebrow at the clothing inside. 

Black dress pants and shiny black shoes would cover his bottom half. The pants were held up by a snake skin belt. The small dark brown and black scales would match the blood red silk shirt that hung above them. Duo grinned as he slipped into the outfit, leaving the top buttons unbuttoned on the shirt and letting a slim gold chain fill the space. He picked up his staff, unwilling to put the holder back on his back to ruin the outfit. 

Duo looked at himself in the mirror. "I proclaim you sexy and fit to be seen," Duo told himself. Just as he said it a door on the other side of the room, opposite the one he came in, opened and a female waiter, dressed is black pants and a white top opened the door. 

"Mr. Maxwell, this way please. Duo was stunned as he walked through the lavishly decorated restaurant. Cherry wood made up all the walls and floors, the tables were the same except white table cloths covered their tops. Crystal chandeliers lit most of the room but individual candles lit each table, reflecting off the clean silverware. People of all ages, except small children, talked and laughed. Duo couldn't help but pick up the attitude as he began questioning the waitresses, happy to be around so many people. He barely gave her time to respond before he asked each question; hence by the time the waitress stopped in front of a small door on one of the walls, Duo still had no answers. 

"Sir," the waitress said as she opened the door for him. "Your table awaits." 

Two seconds later

Heero managed, but barley, to keep the smirk off his face as Duo's chin dropped to the floor. Troy had mentioned this program to Heero and showed him how to use it. And after Quatre had pointed it out, Heero had realized that Duo needed something from Heero. Something that showed Duo how much Heero appreciated his company… maybe even more than appreciated. 

Duo slowly picked his chin off the ground and stepped into the room so that the waitress could close the door, dimming the sound of laughter from the main room. The small chamber Heero had picked out looked much like the main dining hall, a crystal chandelier filled the room with rainbows and dim light, while candles allowed them to see what they were eating. The cherry wood made up the walls, but the floor was the nice carpet from the changing room and the walls were decorated with medieval tapestries. 

"Sit," Heero asked. 

"Yes, master," Duo replied with a grin. Heero ignored Duo's teasing as he watched his slim sexy body slide into the chair across from him. "So what is the occasion?" Duo asked, "And who picked out these close for me, it could not have been you." 

"Quatre, no occasion," Heero deadpanned. Duo's bottom lip stuck out in a pout, Heero resisted the erg to reach forward and kiss it. He did not need those kinds of distractions… although over time he was finding that he wanted them. 

"Oh well, I thought you were going so fast to escape Relena… and that's why Gord told me to go away – it hurt my feelings – oh but I had the funnies run in with Relena…" Duo began to ramble. Heero sat back in his chair and crossed his arm over his chest. Duo's rambling would be fine for this evening. 

Active time event

"HHHEEEERRRRROOOOOOOO!" Relena screamed into Engineering. Although she had checked the bridge once, she had come straight to Engineering after… she knew her Heero better than his pesky sexually confused friend. The twit that dared call her, master of all diplomacy and peace, a hypocrite among other names. And he dared even think that he could take Heero from her. 

"I'm sorry ambassador, but Heero is not here and has not come this way today," Data's fingers didn't miss a beat as they flew over the consol in front of him at speeds unattainable by humans. 

"I wonder where he could be," Relena said. Her voice was filled with dramatized worry, no longer yelling but soft and wistful. 

"I believe he is taking some time for himself, after today everyone will be pulling nonstop overtime to try and complete the projects and prepare the ship for battle," Data absently responded. 

So absorbed in his work, Data didn't see the cunning smile that flitted across Relena's features as she glided behind Data's chair. 

"Do you know where he is?" Relena said in the same voice, trying to coax the information out of the artificial intelligence. 

"Yes, but as I said before he is taking time for himself…" Data started. 

"And he will want his finance with him!" Relena firmly interjected. 

"I do not believe so…" Data started. 

"Data, start working on those probes, we want them ready for Heero's infusion tomorrow," Geordi's voice barked. "I'm sorry, Ms. Relena but we are extremely busy. Please go else where for entertainment today." 

Relena forced her face into its diplomatic mold and nodded. 

"I'm sorry for bothering you, I know this is an important time and will leave you to your duties," Relena said politely. She gave a slight bow and turned, her hand clasped in front of her. If no one would tell her where Heero was… than she would find him herself! 

A few hours later

Duo scraped the last of the steak drippings off the plate with the last of the pasta that came with the chuck of delicious red meat. He almost didn't wait to finish chewing before he continued the story he was on. 

"…and so then they decided to chase me through the back streets - back streets that I knew better than the rats that were born in them – anyway, they chased me for a few minutes before I dived into one of my holes that led into the cellar of bakers room. But the baker had moved the flower and so I landed on the barrel and flower went every where!" Duo stopped to finish off his glass of whine. 

"Heero you're still listening right?" Duo asked suspiciously as he looked across from him. Heero's face was still as cold as stone, only the slight drop in his shoulders told Duo he was relaxed. Shoulders that were covered in a dark blue silk shirt, buttoned all the way up with a black tie set perfectly in the center. His pants were much like Duo's except dark brown. Heero nodded slightly, his unruly hair slightly bouncing with the movement. 

"Heero, you look good," Duo said, his story forgotten. "It's kinda lonely over here," Duo said, a sly smile spreading over his face. Without asking Duo picked up his chair and very noisily, still half sitting in it moved it next to Heero. "This is better," Duo said. He started to lean over onto Heero but a knock came at the door. 

"Are you ready for desert?" the waitress questioned. 

"Yes," Heero deadpanned. Duo wanted to drop his head onto Heero's chest so he could feel the rumble of Heero's voice. With out hesitating he dropped his head on Heero's shoulder, his eyes widened slightly as Heero brought his arm over Duo's shoulder and hugged him tightly. Duo didn't need any more encouragement as she slipped out of his chair and into Heero's lap, snuggling against his chest. 

The food and waitress were both forgotten as Duo felt Heero's arms come around his body and chin rest on the top of Duo's head. Duo wished that this moment would last forever. 

As they hug

Cassandra smoothly trailed her hand in front of the blank consul on her left as her eyes scanned the semi transparent screen in front of her. The pitch black of her room receded slightly as the wring of her computer fought its way to life. 

The reflection of Heero and Duo's bodies, pressed as close together as clothing would allow, vanished from her eyes as her left hand danced over the key pad, switching the screen to the black void of space. 

The screen moved, as if flying, to zoom in on a fleet of star ships, fighters coming to try and take the new land in the neutral zone. Cassandra's telepathic abilities easily sensed the cloaked ships more than doubling the fleet on her screen. A sudden small strike on a visible ship's flanks drew Cassandra's attention, she let her consciousness drift… hearing the sounds of battle. 

The ship being hit was on read alert, it rocked with a symphony of screams and thuds as volleys of photon torpedoes hit it on all sides. Then, just as fast as it had started, it ended… the attackers were never even seen and the ship was left dead in space. 

Cassandra watched the fleet for long enough to see it check for salvageable parts and picked up the lone escape pod to survive the strike. She moved her vision back across space, the stars blurring into lines of vivid white until it slowed and then halted on the Mage's planets. She allowed her self a moment to pause and look at the planets, the star formation creating the perfect conduit for magical channeling… and big enough to open a portal to the closest dimension. The make up of the planets and their energy lines matched perfectly. 

Cassandra's right hand typed in a password on a key board in her native language - long gone much like her species and home. But Cassandra didn't allow her self to even have those thoughts as a 3D map appeared in front of her, only obstructed by the dim screen showing the planets she had yet to turn off. 

Her left hand began to craw over the consul as more screens popped up, data running across them at speeds even Data would have trouble computing. 

"Gundam 01 and Pilot data," Cassandra's voice was ruff from lack of use. 

She couldn't help the slight up turn of her lips as she fed all the information into her computer. It would take a few hours to crunch all the numbers. Cassandra's eyes lingered on the image of Gundam 01, and for a piece of time so short it wasn't even registered; Cassandra felt an intense erg to share her plans with the only creature in the universe that understood her at some level… Heero. 

For she was going away from this mortal dimension, with its petty menial concerns. And the energy generated by this battle was all she needed to open the gate to a place where she could start over – for a time at least. 

2 days till attack

"Caption Quatre, I have something you should see," Geordi stated at the moment the young blonde walked onto the bridge. He turned before he saw the look of concern on Quatre's face or the arm that briefly squeezed the blonde's shoulders in reassurance. Quatre's ever present companion and body guard. 

"We have been monitoring the area, with the enemies so close, and we found two very interesting things," Geordi began to explain. "Now assuming that the reading our computer can't understand is your magic, than there is an odd flux coming from your ship as well as a slight build up. The second thing we found is a shuttle that has just started flying around the planets. I have already confirmed that it is not one of White Fangs, Romefellers or ours." 

"Do you know what this vessel looks like?" Quatre asked, his mind flying through possible reason these readings could be appearing. 

"Yes, in fact we have a full scan of it," Geordi said as he brought up the image. Quatre squinted forward as what looked like the image of Beta, the only shuttle on the Companion. 

"That's our shuttle," Quatre said absently as the crystal of mind lit up on his staff. He quickly contacted his four ship mates, waking up Heero and Duo in the process. "But none of them are on it… What are the life signs?" Quatre's voice gained the barest hint of worry at the end of the question. 

"That's what was confusing us… there aren't any signs of life," Geordi said slowly, as if trying to convince him self. 

Heero, where is Cassandra?Quatre immediately questioned through the staff mind link. 

BetaHeero's mind was as emotionless as his voice. 

What is she doing?Quatre asked, his mind voice gaining a hint of impatiens. 

I was not informedHeero returned. Quatre let out a frustrated sigh physically and leaned on Trowa for support. 

"I will look into this, Cassandra is on the shuttle and she does not inform us of her plans," Quatre said tiredly. 

Heero and Duo I need you two to take mine and Trowa's placethe mind of Quatre's staff glowed, reflecting off the image of Beta. 

But we just got off a few hours ago!Duo wined, If Quatre could have turned down the volume off his staff he would have. 

ConfirmedHeero's mind was almost a whisper compared to Duo's whining, which got even louder as his target switched to Heero. Quatre tuned them out and headed for the transporter room. 

"I don't trust her," Quatre said as the doors to the room hissed opened. The engineer working the station nodded to them, acknowledging their presents. 

"It is understandable," Trowa quietly responded. 

"Energizing from the Companion," the engineer stated. The forms of Heero and Duo slowly materialized. If Quatre had been paying more attention instead of dwelling on Cassandra, he would have reprimanded both of his friends, although Heero's hair always looked something like that, on their rumpled clothing and messy hair. 

But instead he walked purposefully to the transporters. 

"Hey, Q-master! Watz' up?" Duo asked, the barest hint of concern touched his voice. 

"Cassandra is doing something on Beta, and now that I feel for it, there is a large build of up our magic on the Companion," Quatre quickly explained. "Two to beam up to the Companion please," Quatre asked, although his voice commanded. 

"Wait…" Duo started to ask for more of an explanation but Quatre was already beaming. 

A few seconds later

Wufei, calmly received Quatre and Trowa on the Companion. Although he had been angry when Heero had disturbed him from his work on the Gundams for a simple transporter, he had managed to calm. His tired arms and sweaty body needed the break anyway. 

After fixing Nataku, Wufei started to check and add federation technology to the Gundams. The technology was still nothing compared to their staff magic, but anything would help when out number 8 to one. 

"Wufei, did you open the bay for Beta?" Quatre asked, distractedly. 

"No, I wasn't aware it was out," Wufei replied. 

"Hum, she must have done it her self… Trowa check the ships logs so that we know how long she has been out," Quatre started to walk toward the bridge. 

"Cassandra did run this ship alone before we came along," Wufei stated, be began to follow Quatre. 

"That's true, but we don't really know anything about her other than that," Quatre started. As he spoke his voice gained worry. "For example, why was she mapping our planets? What has she done with all the data we collected? How did she make all the scanners that looked for magic that had been out of this demotion for over 200 years? How was she producing Gundainum on this tiny ship? When did she know…" Quatre's voice was hysterical at this point as questions and suspicions jumped from his mouth, as if they had a mind of their own. 

Wufei shook his head, his slanted eyes crossed as Quatre's questions continued to roll over him in waves. As if Quatre had opened a flood gate and suddenly all the questions and suspicions that he should have felt washed over him. 

"Quatre, calm down," it was Trowa's voice that cut through Quatre's. An ax couldn't have cut Quatre off faster as the blondes mouth closed; wide eyes looked into Trowa's. His pupils were dilated, making his blue seem almost none existent against the black. 

Wufei couldn't move just watch as Quatre began to fall, as if in slow motion. Only Trowa's fast reaction saved him from hitting the cold metal floor of the bridge. 

"He over used his empathy, Wufei you have bridge duty," Trowa stated. Wufei looked into Trowa's eyes, his mind grasping the situation slower than it was actually occurring. Trowa waited until Wufei was able to node before he picked Quatre up in his arms and disappeared toward engineering and the lifts to the other floors. 

Wufei couldn't stop starring at the place that Quatre had fallen as his mind seemed to try and fight some sort of barrier that was having trouble processing everything that Quatre had just said. 

"This is not a surprise… we did not trust her in the first place," Wufei said to himself, although it sounded more like a question. "Stop being so weak and figure it out!" Wufei suddenly screamed at the walls. As if the words broke a barrier suddenly the spiral of thoughts and emotions that had taken over and confused his mind straightened out. 

Wufei moved his eyes, followed by his head to the bridge. 

"Something is not right here," Wufei said to him self as he took the few steps that allowed him to sink into the main consul of the bridge. And it would make sense if he could only find more information. "Computer, display all captions longs and transmissions from this ship in the last five years," Wufei ordered. He slowly leaned back in his chair and began to read and watch. 

The captions logs were worthless in his search; Quatre was the first and only person to make entries. All transmissions had also been deleted; the first one was from the mages as well. All of the ships records had been deleted except for the most basic, where the ship had been. But not what it had done or how long it had been there. Wufei growled and rubbed his temples… information was not going to be easily gained. 

A few hours later

The slightly crinkled skin around Trowa's eyes was the only sign that he was worried as Quatre's eyes fluttered opened. Once again quick reflexes saved Trowa has he moved his head away from Quatre's quickly sitting up body and his hand to Quatre's chest. 

"Don't move," Trowa said as he pushed his lover back down onto the bed. 

"But…" Quatre started. 

"You can tell me lying down," Trowa stated. He left his hand on Quatre's chest an instant longer before he took it off, trusting that he would not try to get up again. 

"It was like I realized that something was important and then I focused on it and suddenly everything came pouring in at once. All these emotions and realizations! No we have to stop Cassandra!" Quatre almost yelled as he tried to get up again. It took both of Trowa's arms and most of his body weight to force Quatre to stay on the bed this time. It was easy to forget Quatre's strength when he never used it. 

"Quatre, you are warn out. If what Cassandra was doing was really evil Heero would not allow it," Trowa tried to reason. Quatre froze, as if stung. 

"Heero doesn't know what she is doing… he said it him self!" Quatre started to struggle again, Trowa glanced down, unwilling to put his full weight on his smaller companion. Despite his strength at this rate he would hurt himself. With no other choice Trowa grabbed his staff and channeled all his mind powers into one spell. Quatre's body went limp as his mind was forced into a dreamless sleep. 

1 day till attack

"Wufei! We are tired and have been on the enterprise for three shifts now!" Duo's voice screamed over the com. Duo was calling from a personal com in the room they were barrowing because of their extended shift due to extreme circumstances. Wufei looked up from his place on the bridge. Dark circles had formed under his eyes and the screen doubled out a few times before he managed a reply. 

"Maxwell!" The name was slowly yelled, but still yelled none the less. "Quatre is still unconscious, Trowa is finishing my job so that the Gundams will be prepared for battle and I have not slept in two days between fixing my Gundam – which you blew apart – and trying to figure out what is going on. STOP YOU WINING AND DEAL WITH IT!" The last words were screamed so loud it echoed through out space. 

"Fei, I didn't know you felt so passionately about it," Duo said. Not fazed by the yell he could feel on a different space ship. 

"Have you compared the data Cassandra collected to the rout she is taking now?" Heero's dead voice inquired. Wufei's drooped eye lids took a moment to register the question and then they snapped up. 

"Cross referencing as we speak," He said. His hand flew over the consuls that if he didn't before he now had memorized. 

"This is… what is this?" Wufei asked no one in particular. His eyes crossed, making the data and star picture in front of him triple out this time. "Heero, Duo. I don't care what you have to do but get up here. When Quatre wakes we need to - just the five of us - look at this. I don't know exactly what is going on, but I didn't even know that magical symbols were this big." 

Wufei cut off Duo's protests and transferred all the data on a disk. As he started moving toward the conference room Heero's voice confirmed that Duo and Heero were beaming up. 

Trowa, what is Quatre's state?Wufei didn't stop walking as he asked Trowa. 

He is awake and calm, we will join you in a few momentsTrowa responded. 

Wufei sent back a mental nod and hurried into the conference room. He loaded the information he had found and then paced… for pacing was all that his body would do. After what seemed like an eternity, although was actually around 10 minutes. The five mages were gathered. 

"I'll just show you what I found," Wufei plainly stated. His voice much calmer than his adrenalin powered body. He pressed the screen on; already there was the map they had made, with all the 'lines of power' as Cassandra had called them that her sensors had picked up. Wufei quickly zoomed the map out to show the galaxy and then enlarged it to take up the entire wall. 

The intake of breath could be felt as the five mages recognized the symbols that the lines made up. The bright color of each planet glowed with streaking lines of even brighter color making up symbols. The biggest symbol was of each element surrounded by symbols designed to channel energy, store it and release it. These same symbols also tied all five planets together… giving them the ability to come together as one again some day. 

"And this is what Cassandra has been doing," Wufei felt his energy leaving him now that he had gotten what he had been looking for. Cassandra's path was white where it was in space and black over planets. 

"She is drawing symbols around the sun and connecting them to the planets, why and how does she know our magical symbols is my question," Wufei stated as he sat down. He studied the chart once again. The black lines over the sun almost reminded him of Duo's graffiti, but then they were too organized and drawn with the precision of a master mage. Each one connecting to a matching symbol already present on the planet just activated. 

"What is the main symbol on the sun?" Duo suddenly broke into the comtemplative silence. "Call me an idiot but I just don't recognize it as a whole… I mean I see the elements are part of it, as well as space and power and time and move and… Shit. Is anyone else putting this together?" 

"It's the dimensional shift," Trowa quietly answered. "But I thought that magic was lost…" 

"It was," Heero deadpanned. Trowa raised an eye brow but didn't comment. 

"Does Cassandra have anything to say," Quatre's voice was quiet, even meek. It was the first time he had talked sense entering the room. 

"I have not contacted her," Heero responded. 

"Don't Heero, she is evil. She does not act with good intent," Quatre suddenly said. His voice gaining emotion. 

"I thought you didn't sense anything from her," Wufei pointed out. Quatre pulled his legs up on to the chair and into his body. 

"I don't, I still don't. I can't even tell if she is alive… but you know why I lost it, and why we never truly questioned her motives?" Quatre asked. He didn't give anyone a chance to respond just plowed on. "Because she is telepathic and used her abilities to make us turn a blind eye to our feelings and instincts when it came to her." 

"Why did only you and Wufei have trouble than," Duo asked. His head truly cocked in curiosity. 

"I don't know!" Quatre almost shouted. Duo blinked and backed down. "Look I'm sorry. My nerves are on edge, and all of us are tired. Heero how is it that all five of us are here with out breaching contract?" 

"All three ships have a tracterbeam on our ship," Heero stated. If so much had not already happened Quatre might have worried about the fact that the Companion could be easily torn into three as they spoke. 

"Fine, Heero did you finish you work with the Enterpirse?" 

"Yes." 

"And Trowa you as well?" 

"No, but of us, I am in the best shape to finish it." 

"Fine but don't wear your self out, and before you go set up an automatic transporter beam to your Gundam's cockpit. We will take turns now, when Cassandra comes back to the ship I want to talk to her. If she doesn't return and our enemies are in range, I'm sorry Heero, but fire on Beta and destroy the ship. She can not finish what she is doing." 

"What is she doing?" Wufei repeated the question. 

"I don't know, but what ever it is there is something wrong about it," Quatre's voice was frustrated and he brought one of his fists down on the table. His eyes moved to it has he flattened out his fingers, his voice calming. "I don't know what part, but something is wrong. Where is all the power going to come from to charge up the symbols she has… where has she gotten the power already stored? I just don't know what if it kills everything on our planets? There are too many unknowns," Quatre almost whispered the last part. The room went quiet; it seemed that nothing even breathed. 

Heero stood; the movement seemed sudden in the silent room. 

"Heeerrroooo! Where are you going?" Duo said in a perfect mimic of Relena. 

"To follow Quatre's orders," Heero deadpanned as he walked out the door. The doors whispering opened for him to pass let fresh air into the room from the hall, making a chill pass through the remaining mages. 

Duo quickly jumped up and followed after… his action suturing the remaining three into action. 

"I'll beam you down," Wufei offered to Trowa as the tall mage tried for the third time to get Quatre's attention. "He needs time to think." 

With a silent node Trowa agreed and the two left, Wufei hoped that Quatre would figure out what he needed to soon. According to his calculations their enemies were less than a day away. 

mtc 

AN: There are one and a half chapters left (give or take), and I have two working endings. One leaves room for a sequel and one doesn't. Here is where I need you feed back, either in email or review form. If I get enough responses than I will write it with a sequel… if not than I will give it a final ending. Thank everyone who reads, and especially the few that leave feed back.


	18. Battle

Companions of a Kind – Battle

Zech's clunky boots covered up the sound of the doors as he, accompanied by Noin, walked into the Enterprises briefing room for hopefully the last time. The enemy fleet was in range, a little over an hour away.

"You're cutting it close, Milliardo," Treize purred. Zech's ignored the older mans words and easily took he seat, Noin sitting next to him. He had been almost late. Treize, Une the normal Enterprise officers and a few Starfleet personal he didn't recognize were already present.

Quatre and Trowa, wirily sat in their seats... if educate didn't dictate Quatre looked as if he would be sleeping on Trowa's shoulder. No doubt they were tired, although with Trowa's return to the ship all tracterbeams had released the Companion, Trowa had been working non stop and with only four boys to prepare the ship they must have been busy.

"Actually, our ship has been long prepared. It is other matters that have put me in this state," Quatre's voice was stronger than his body looked. Zech's raised one blond eye brow at the boy. Before he could ask Picard cleared his throat to start the briefing.

"This is the last time we will be able to prepare for the up coming battle. Our scanners show that the enemies fleet it over 75 visible ships, probably more cloaked, in size. They are about an hour away. The Enterprise is prepared for battle and so are the Federation ships that have made it here in time. Ten have just arrived with in the hour and three more will make it in time for battle. These are the other commanders; they have been briefed on the situation."

"There is more to add to this situation," Quatre's voice clearly took over as Picard paused to continue. Quatre stood and moved his staff slightly in front of him. The wall behind Picard was suddenly covered in a brightly colored map... obviously one of the new planetary system in neutral space. Zech's eyes squinted as he tried to read the mass of information that covered the wall but it was to confusing and mixed to understand.

"How did you come across this map?" Treizes voice was slightly put off and Zech glanced over at the generals slightly widened eyes.

"We made it, or I should say we helped make it. Heero and Cassandra did most of it. What is important it no the map," Quatre waved his hand and the map slowly began to sort itself out and zoom into a semblance of order. "But the information gathered as it pertains to the situation."

Zech moved his focus to the map as the planets became distinct. Dark patterns with a lighter line in the middle traced every planet... sun included.

"What you are seeing now is the Magical writing that split out planet apart thousands of years ago. Not only that but there are a few more glifs that we have not seen in years connected to the patterns already present, those are the ones that have only the lighter line tracing them. The dark line is magic already in existence but that were recently reactivated the lighter line is just patters that were recently written," Quatre explained pointing in the appropriate places. "No mage wrote these patters... Cassandra has not been on the Companion sense the patterns appeared."

"What the full pattern makes up we are not quite sure," Trowa took over smoothly. "Duo recognized it as the dimensional shift, however the knowledge of that was lost right after the first shift. The patter is active and eating the excess energy from the planets... but at the rate it is going it will be a millennium before it is powered up. It is only feed on energy not used or that is a byproduct." Quatre drew everyone's attention back to the map as it began to swirl and move.

"Once the pattern is at full power, we don't know what will happen. Only one person knows and that it Cassandra... she wrote the patterns. No one else could have."

"And what does this have to do with us?" It was Zech that cut in this time.

"We will be taking one of the Gundams out of the fight to deal with Cassandra if the ruins begin eating the excess energy from the battle. It will be Gundam 01. Gundam's 03 and 05 will be covering space if... when this happens."

"Has Heero been in contact with Cassandra?" Troy asked.

"Yes, but Cassandra's answers are evasive and we can't trust them," Quatre's voice sounded angry at the comment.

"Why?" Troy began. "You seem to have some fundamental issues with Cassandra sense we first met, yet I have sensed no evil from your ship..."

"Have you even sensed Cassandra?" Quatre cut in his voice under control but still hinting at anger. Zech watched Troy as her head tilted down in thought. Her expression was unreadable as she met Quatre's eyes.

"I can't say I have," Troy calmly stated.

"Neither can I," Quatre closed his eyes and then opened them again. "Heero has relayed the message that her intentions will have little effect on us and not hurt the planets permanently. But she has not said what she is doing and 'not affect the planets permanently' is not reassuring. Zech's and Treize will both tell you that Cassandra's only side is her own. I will not discuss all the oddities with you about Cassandra... but I will leave it with the possibility that Cassandra informed the enemy so that they would come and stage this battle for her own ends. Even Heero wouldn't put it past her," Quatre whispered the last sentence before he sat.

Zech's remained silent as Trowa squeezed Quatre's shoulder before taking over. "Because of this we only want to solidify the plans before we adjourn... the enemy is less than half an hour away."

Zech's brought his gloved hands up to his chin as Picard took the conversation over once again. Cassandra was a puzzle, but unlike Quatre Zech's knew that what Cassandra said she meant. The battle would go on, the curtains would unfold and the truth would be revealed.

30 minutes later Picard

"All hands to battle stations," Picard's voice bellowed over the com. Only a moment later the alarms and red lights signaling read alert filled the ship. Picard briefly thought of the many family members that had already been evacuated from the Enterprise in light of the battle. As his eyes scanned the swarm of ships filling the screen that covered the front wall of the Enterprise. He slowly pulled his eyes from it and walked to his seat.

"Worf, all weapons are on stand by," Picard more affirmed than asked. The Enterprise would not back down on this one; peace was not possible. Picard sat and looked back at the screen. Just as little pieces of it began to blur.

"Sir, two Cardassian vessels are decloaking on our starboard and port," Worf rushed.

"Shields up!" Picard barked. The Enterprise rocked as it was bombarded by torpedoes.

"Prepare photon torpedoes and return fire on my mark," Picard ordered. He waited until ships began to fad before giving the order. Two orange bright orange balls of destruction flew toward their targets. The first hit, the ship shuddered as sparks flew. But the cloak was unaffected and a moment later the ship disappeared from view. The second ship was uninjured having the cloak halted to keep shields up.

Picard grabbed his chair as the Enterprise rocked forward.

"Sir, ships are firing at our flanks and more have decloaked at our sides. We are surrounded," Worf said his voice steady.

"Worf, fire at will. Jordi I need all the power to weapons and shields as possible. Riker take control of phasors. If it's not on our side, I want it shot down,"

Treize

"We are out numbered six to one... the newest arrival of the Federation has already sustained massive damaged," Une's voice reported.

"The Federation is as unprepared as usual, ignore the injured fleet. Dorothy, when you are surrounded and can not retreat what is the best plan of action?" Treize smoothly asked.

"No one ever wins by defending, battle is beautiful but only if both sides want to win. Escape is never an option. When surrounded, you attack the weakest point and then charge straight ahead," Dorothy lectured. Her hands were clasped if front of her, just above breast level, as she watched the fight unfold. Her mind bathed in the essence of battle.

"Although strategically that is not always right in this case it is correct," Treize praised. Une quickly began bellowing out orders to the smaller ships under her as the viewer changed directions.

"A class two Romulan vessel at mark 13.5, shoot it down!" Une commanded. Phasors easily tore through the lesser ship. Before the Romulan and Cardassian line could reform torpedoes rained down on the remaining circle as Une maneuvered the main fleet out of the circle they had been surrounded in.

"Une, keep every ship in motion. Circle and destroy is a tactic that will not work on us.

Zechs 

"Quatre, have you identified the lead ships?" Zech's calmly asked over the com system. His ship bucked as it was hit by a volley of phasor fire but the shields held. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Relena stumble before taking the seat Noin had earlier offered her. The young woman had refused to leave or stay safely in her room, not that anywhere was safe in the middle of battle.

"Shields down to 70, returning fire. Ships decloaking on our flanks," Noin yelled. "Po..."

"Already moving," Po yelled as her fingers whipped over the consul. Zech's agile ship turned bit not quite in time as torpedo fire hit the shields, the ship bucked harder butt the shields continued to hold.

"Yes," Zech's blinked at Quatre's voice, his mind so focused on the battle he had almost forgotten his question. "Transmitting the ships data now."

"Got it," Zech's said as the consul on his chair and the main one being controlled by Noin flashed the data.

"Give me the helm," Zechs ordered as he stood and walked to the head of this ship. Po was already out of the chair as Zech's typed in the command for the joystick to rise from the console.

"Noin, shoot my path clear, we're not stopping," Zech declared.

"All White Fang vessels, follow me and take down as many as you can on your way," Zech's ordered. A small smile came onto his face as he slightly caressed the joystick before grasping it and pushing forward. The ship surged forward under his command.

Picard

"Zech's what are you doing?" Picard yelled over the com. This battle was not going as planned. Only the Enterprise seemed to be following any of the set plans.

"I'm going after the leader ships," Zech's voice was cold.

"What about the formation," Picard demanded.

"Some plans work and others don't," Picard heard a blast over the com and Noin's voice softly in the background gave a damage report.

"At least we would not be so spread out if we had stuck to the original plan," Picard stated. Picard lurched as he was almost thrown out of his chair.

"Shields down to 20, damage to deck 5. Damage crews on there way," Worf stated his calm voice containing a hint of worry. Picard's attention was drawn away from Zech as the Enterprise was once again surrounded.

"Full power to shields," Picard ordered. "All hands prepare for impact!" Picard watched as the three ships in front of his prepared to fire.

Suddenly a streak of gold and light blue flamed across the screen, seeming to go through the ships. There was a moment where time seemed to stand still then suddenly the ships exploded, pieces hit the Enterprises shield.

"It's Heavyarms, we have been pushed back to the last line of defense," Worf declared.

"If we are going to win, we must form up," Trowa's voice seemed young over the com. His face tinted light blue sparkled with his magic. "The Gundams have begun to use magic now; we are out of your technology."

As if to illustrate explosions filled the viewer and colored beams and balls shot out from the Gundams.

"As least you are still following the plan," Picard stated. "Jeordi, I need more power to the shields and weapons. Cut off unnecessary functions."

"Yes sir, I'll give you as much as she can give," Jeordi responded.

Heero

Heero forced his Gundam's arms and legs out of their tucked position and splayed them out to stop his fast rotation. With Duo covering him, the ball of raw power and fire than he had combined would take out a good portion of the ships that had once again surrounded Treize.

His Gundam easily sunk down to that he could push the ball hard with its hands. The ball went flying, fast for its size, but slow enough that several ships were able to escape its deadly path, but only a few.

"Treize is down to a third of his fleet. Zechs it no better, his attempt to get to the leaders in the back have been halted by a line of war birds. His ship is damaged... shit did you feel that?" Duo interrupted his own report.

Heero's eyes had followed the invisible trail of left over energy for the fourth time as it had been pulled into the glifs on the sun. The excess energy was massive in battles like this. Every portion of that ball that had not destroyed a target or that had but easily, became excess energy that mages could draw on when their own was depleted. But all of it was going into the sun.

Why?Heero dead panned into Cassandra's mind.

NecessaryCassandra dead panned back. Heero wasn't fazed as he kept his hands up and began shooting small bolts of power at ships, picking them off as they tried to attack. Phasor fire bounced off his shields, as of yet the only thing to effect the ship were the photon torpedoes.

How much more?Heero asked.

Half fullCassandra replied.

"Hey, I know your talking with her," Quatre's voice was sour and distant as he concentrated on his own battle. "Heero, it's too much energy. Go after Cassandra and take her out" Quatre began to give orders. "Wufei, leave the last line and help Treize in the second. Duo, find Zech's his idea is good even if his actions are brash. Trowa, you and I will stay with the last line and help defend our planets and the Federation ships. Only a few of them have the special shielding."

"Confirmed," Heero dead panned.

"On my way," Duo sang his bright voice at odds with his grim face. Heero looked up at Duo on his monitor, his eyes trying to memorize every line. "Heero, when this is over... promise you'll take me on a date in the holodecks again."

Heero studied Duo's face for one last second before he turned his attention to his Gundam. "Mission accepted."

Duo's bitter laughter rang through Heero's Gundam for a moment before it was cut off and Duo's face disappeared from its box. Heero felt a chill want to run up his spine, but shrugged it off. Duo would be fine; he could take care of himself.

Heero's hands flew over the Gundam controls as it searched for Beta, the only ship that Cassandra could be on. It didn't take long sense Heero knew exactly where to look.

FightAlthough Heero heard it as an order, Cassandra's tone gave not indication.

Doing?Heero asked.

AwayCassandra answered. Heero narrowed his eyes, away had many meanings this time. Quatre had so much empathy, other than Cassandra Heero trusted Quatre's judgment... but for the first time they were not coinciding. Incomplete dataCassandra sated in his head.

Complete itHeero ordered. If Cassandra would tell Quatre the entire story than Heero would not be in this situation. Split between allies... maybe even friends.

Friends. Don't fightCassandra correct.

HnHeero responded. He and Cassandra often disagreed on the definition of words and their true use. Cassandra believed that Friends fought while Allies don't... Heero believed the opposite. If you fought an ally that obviously they were not your ally any more.

FightCassandra insisted.

WhyHeero asked again.

NecessaryCass stated. Heero knew that Cassandra was leading him in circles. Her evasion to answering his questions was often done this way.

Already answeredHeero blinked at Cassandra's statement. He rarely forgot her answers, it was almost impossible that he could have... as if the thoughts triggered it Heero's mind began to turn, the wheels of memory sliding backwards. Heero let his mind bring back up the only situation where he and Cassandra had used words to communicate.

_Heero's fingers ran over the consul as the beginning image of the map of 01 reflected off his clear eyes. The only other sound in the room as the soft clicking of Cassandra's consul as she worked on the same project._

_Why?Heero asked in Cassandra's mind._

_Necessary dataCassandra's cold mind voice gave no hints._

_ExplainHeero asked, although it could have been an order._

"_Are you happy where you are?" Heero's hands froze on his consul as the silence was broken by Cassandra cold dry question. Heero closed his eyes and looked inward, unsure of how to answer._

"_Don't answer. You are too young to know the meaning of the question," Cassandra's voice cracked with lack of use. It sounded raw, although still cold like her mind voice. Heero opened his eyes, the glint of fire smoldered in the blue depths._

"_Emotions are for the weak, leave them behind. Life is a longer road for some than others. My time here needs to end soon, but the cycle of life has me trapped. I will be leaving," Cassandra's voice had a finality that Heero had never heard before. And it was only a second later that her presents left the room, and her mind voice became unresponsive._

Heero opened the com to Beta as the rush of memories he had stored haphazardly with all the other none useful ones tried to come out of their box. Heero had not understood that conversation. Cassandra was obviously not dying and had just started a major project so could not be contemplating suicide.

Cassandra's face was clear against the tidied walls of Beta. Black hair outlined the pail ghost like skin with stark small features.

"If you will not fight others than you will fight me," Cassandra's physical voice was just as Heero remembered it. Heero barley got out of the way as a blast of pure energy brushed against his shields. Heero glanced back at Cassandra's image and froze, Cassandra's face was covered in green and black tattoos and the light that surrounded her was the same fuzzy dirty yellow of his own, but laced with all the other mage colors.

MageHeero's mind whispered into Cassandra's. Heero's shock prevented him from even dodging as Cassandra's next attack took down the last of his energy shields... enveloping Wing in a blast of yellow power.

Duo

Duo's heart froze as the largest blast of mage energy he had ever felt enveloped Wing. His wide eyes starred at black that was left after the blast, trying to see the condition of Heero's Gundam; heedless of the massive amount of energy getting pulled into the sun from the raging battle around him.

The impact of his face against the screen in front of him woke him from his terror. Duo shook his head, ignoring the burning in his shoulders where the straps had lessened the damage to his head.

"Duo pay attention," Quatre's sharp command came over the con.

"Right, He... Heero is fine," Duo more mumbled to himself than for Quatre's benefit. Quatre's face went off the screen a moment later as Duo fired at the ship that had hit him with the torpedoes. Two more hits and his shields would be down completely.

"Hey, Zech's man. Let's get this party started!" Duo yelled happily over the com. Zech's face was far from pleased as it appeared on his screen.

"I've lost most of my fleet and lost our enemies leaders," Zech's mildly stated.

"Well based on your tone; the weather is just as interesting. Have you ships follow me, Q is transmitting the new location now," Duo didn't wait for Zech to respond as he plunged Dethscyth into battle.

Unlike the others, the damage of Duo's attacks was harder to see on the outside. Duo easily drew on his staff, balling the black energy of necromancy into Dethscyths hands.

"Welcome to your own personal hell," Duo whispered as he sent the ball flying in front of him. The black passed through several ships before dissipating.

"Unless I am mistaken, you powers are failing," Zech's cold voice grated on Duo's ears.

"Well, than don't follow me," Duo said sarcastically as he darted up to a Cardassian ship. Duo smiled as he gave a push against the shields, sending the ship flying into the one next too it. Duo did the most mature thing possible as he stuck his tongue out at Zech's image on his monitor.

"I'll get details later," Zech's voice was withdrawn in defeat but hinted with wonder.

"Sounds like a plan, we'll do lunch... as long as you don't bring Relena along. CHARGE!" Duo yelled at the end as he once again took the lead toward the back of the enemy ships. Which, fortunately and unfortunately were not that far anymore.

Duo changed a glance behind him as he sent out a cloud of black. Although many enemy ships littered the battle field, it was not many more than his allies. The bright bursts of Wufei, Trowa and Quatre's powers were all that he could make out against the swarms surrounding them.

Duo cursed and pulled up just in time to dodge two torpedoes, one still nailed the leg of Deathscyth. Duo cursed as buttons started flashing and with difficulty he pushed his thoughts of his friends aside and began cutting off and rerouting power from his almost blown off leg. He grabbed the controls once again just in time to dodge, the torpedoes exploded on one of Zech's minor ships directly behind him.

"Screw this," Duo screamed as he grabbed his staff behind him. "Zech's cover me, it will be worth your while," Duo ordered.

"It better, after blowing up my ships like that," Zech's responded. Duo, eyes closed, grinned but concentrated, collecting the power of mind and necromancy into his core. He bit his lip as Dethscyth bucked but the phasor damage was minimal. Black and while swirled in his vision as he took the controls of his Gundam and started writing glifs in the void in front of him, the glifs stayed, the fuzzy grey of the combined powers.

"Deal with this, suckers!" Duo yelled as the glif was complete. He sent it soaring toward the thickest group of enemy ships that he could spot. Duo kept his eyes close as he felt his spell start to work. The spell was simple; it put the death curse on all that it touched, but the mind modifications allowed him to keep whom ever he wanted alive until he chose to no longer had use of them.

Thousands of minds started to connect with his, and Duo as quickly as possible reconnected the control hooks to keep his sanity. Forcing the crew to become mindless, only taking orders from their caption and keeping the captions directly connected to him. Duo lost track of time until the minds finally sorted them selves out.

All captions, follow Zech's fleet, shoot at anything I would consider to be an enemy and protect my alliesDuo ordered into their minds. The blank feelings he got in exchange were exactly what he was looking for.

Violet eyes snapped opened to look a pissed off Zech's right in the eyes. "Hi, sugar. I'm done, we've got some new allies, play nice," Duo stated with a giggle as he pushed Zech's face off the screen and plowed into the enemy ships that were now allies. None fired at him. But turned and joined Zech's lower ranks.

"Duo, the leader ships are being transmitted; there are 5 main ones and 1 head leader... if you can take the leader alive do so. We have more questions than answers; even if we win the battle might not be over.

"Gotcha Q-ball... how is Heero?" Duo risked the extra time to ask.

"I'm not sure... he is fighting Beta. Duo, Cassandra is a Mage and much stronger than Heero, maybe even stronger than all of us," Quatre's voice was quiet for the end. Duo felt his heart flip. Heero was alive, but fighting Cassandra. Duo suddenly grinned.

"He will be fine, Cassandra won't kill him. I know it," before Quatre could ask Duo cut off communication and shot toward the main ships, hopefully to end this battle.

Wufei

Wufei swung Nataku around with a yell, a blast of fire showering the enemy that had once again tried to surround him.

"Treize, if you don't organize with the Federation than your fleet is doomed!" Wufei growled into the screen for what felt like the 100th time.

"Dragon, calm down. And thank you for saving so many of my ships but I will not leave this position... if I do it will leave one of the planets vulnerable," Treize smoothly explained.

"Finally, I no longer have to speak with that Ona," Wufei breathed. He moved one of his sweat covered hands onto the consul to his left and quickly began scanning the area. He grunted as a torpedo hit him square in the back, but his shields held. Nataku would not be beaten by inferior weapons.

"Une is not my first officer for no reason..." Treize began smoothly. Wufei glanced at the young general's form on the screen. Although the man was not near as sweaty as Wufei his face was showing the same stress of battle.

"If it is that important to you we can discuss it at a later date," Wufei said almost absently. There, his data blinked. Treize was right; the battle had spread further than predicted. "I am sending the new data to Quatre," Wufei declared. He grimaced as Quatre's voice came over the com, speaking with both Wufei and Treize at the same time.

"Treize fall back to the last line to prevent a gap from forming in our forces. Wufei continue to help Treize in what ever form he needs, some thing needs to happen soon. Or we will lose in a mater of minutes," Quatre said gravely before his voice disappeared from the com.

"Dragon, make up the focal point between my fleet and the Federation. If it splits this will all be over," Treize ordered. Wufei gritted his teeth but would have gave himself the same order, but too have to take it form a man who insisted on calling him Dragon... although it was much better than any of Duo's nick names.

"Understood," Wufei ground out. Treize nodded before his face disappeared from Wufei's screen. He followed Treize's slow but heavily armored ships as they locked into position in the final stand.

"All ships don't let anything past you," Quatre's voice was clear and confidant over the com system. "If you are too badly injured to continue than fall back and those next to you will close rank. Mages don't hold back, we must trust that Heero will take care of Cassandra." Wufei bet that the last part was not on the over all channel. He set a silent prayer out for Heero, as the battles raged on.

Heero 

Heero stretched his neck from one side to the other, reliving some of the whip lash pain from Cassandra's first attack. His peripheral vision absently took in the damage to Wing as he eyes studied Cassandra' face on the monitor.

His initial surprise was long past, after the blast first hit it had taken him a few moments to recover... those few moments that Cassandra could have easily destroy him. Beta was close when his mind came to and he had taken some shots are here with balls of intense water magic, but Beta moved impossibly fast and the magic was absorbed into the glifs on the sun.

Cassandra had not attacked him – yet. Her tattooed face seemed was as cold as her ghostly white one. Heero recognized none of the markings, even as they followed down her neck and disappeared under her overly large sweat shirt.

DefendCassandra's cold voice had an underlay of power Heero had never heard before.

His power shield bounced Cassandra's blazing fire balls back at her, but she dodged and the balls were soon absorbed into the sun. Heero could feel the glifs swell as a rush of energy from the main battle was sucked into them.

Why do you need to leave?Heero questioned in Cassandra's mind. He was careful to pick full sentences that Cassandra could not purposefully get around.

Board, huntedCassandra stated blankly. Fight

WhyHeero heard his mind voice clearly, despite his focus on his own shield. Cassandra didn't answer as she continued to bombard him with attacks. Heero's mind saw an opening and without a thought he sent a massive power stream. The Beta didn't get completely out of the way, but was till functional as most of the attacks energy fed the glifs on the sun.

Heero mentally cursed. By attacking, or defending he was only helping Cassandra's plans... which were bad. According to Quatre. But Cassandra had said that the planets would only be mildly affected.

Heero's reaction started to take over once again, but he stopped them in time to conserve the extra energy. However in stopping them he opened himself up to attack and Cassandra did not miss this time. Red alarms flashed on Heero's screen a hard knife bit into Wing's arm, rendering it useless.

Why can Quatre not sense you?Heero's mind was spinning. He needed either Quatre or Cassandra to be the true enemy. Heero's hands absently skated across the console, salvaging the functions that he could to his arm.

Not aliveCassandra's mind voice stated.

Explainthe command was out of Heero's mind before he had really fully grasped it.

FightCassandra insisted.

Before Heero could for another question a powerful blast came at him and his only option to defend was to create a blast of his own. The two blasts collided in the center, both the exact same size and stuck together. Heero cringed as the two balls exploded on each other sending Wing and Beta flying in opposite directions.

"Heero the glifs!" Quatre's voice helped Heero pull his Gundam out of its out of control spin and right itself. Heero looked just in time to see the glifs from the sun glow a bright white, before it darkened into the dark red of blood and burst out lighting up all the other glifs.

Whatever Cassandra had been planning would not be stopped now.

Duo

"Get out of my way you stupid small fries!" Duo yelled as a fried a group of ships in his path. Only a few seconds now and he would be to the leaders!

"Duo there is not point in getting to the leaders if your Gundam is damaged beyond repair," Zech's voice carried a mild hint of anger.

"Deathscyth is fine! A few missing parts and a few extra holes won't hurt him that badly," Duo shook off. His cheery voice and face hid his underlying concern as another phasor fire scratched the metal. He had lost his shields a few minutes ago; magical and technological.

Duo moved his eyes to his main screen once again, and grinned as he spotted the lead ship, surrounded by its subordinates.

"You see them Masky?" Duo asked without looking at Zech's on him monitor. If he had he would have seen Zech's blanched and turn white at the nick name. "You see them. Here is the plan... you and my new allies charge in a wedge. I'll be at the bad point but Deathscyth won't live through the charge if I lead it. So, once were through the main lead ships I'll hit the main one while you finish off the others."

"Sounds solid, although risky," Noin's voice was quiet but strong.

"Risks must be taken in situations like these," Relena's voice was diplomatic, although a little weak. Duo grimaced, but waited a few more seconds for Zechs to decide. When no answer came Duo finally lost it.

"Look, I only have the fuel, and magic for one more strike and that's if it's in this century," Duo suddenly yelled.

"Ah, so life is not always peachy. Your plan is good, I already sent the orders to my ships," Zech's responded.

"You did that too me just so that I would pop didn't you?!" Duo accused.

"On my command," Zech's easily evaded the question. Duo fumed as he gave his orders to the remaining ships under his command. "Begin," Zech's commanded.

Duo gave a mock salute as Zech's face disappeared from his screen and the now wedge shaped small fleet attacked. Duo hung back as his forced Cardassian and Romulan allies led the tip of the wedge. The sound of phasor and torpedo fire could be heard from inside Deathscyths cock pit as ships blew each other apart. Duo let his eyes wonder over the mass of flying ship parts and explosions until a line parted enough in the battle that he could make out the green vessel that made up the leader.

Remember, we need him aliveQuatre reminded Duo.

I know, I don't have to power to take destroy the ship anywayDuo admitted, his mind voice tired but happy to have seen the light at the end of this battle that seemed to be lasting a life time.

He couldn't afford to close his eyes this time as he summoned his mind control powers. This was going to be hard. First he scanned the minds of the inhabitance of the enemy lead ship. The ideas and thoughts were in the wrong language but emotions were universal. Duo easily traced them until he found the caption of the vessel.

Duo felt his body wriggle like his mind hooks as he sunk them deep into the captions psyche. Once he was sure they were planted he turned his attention to the remaining three enemy vessels that he had under his control. With a thought he easily turned their targets to the main ship. Similarly he forced the caption of the ship to signal the abandon ship.

Duo was surprised to meet resistance but he brutally forced the man's conscious thoughts back, making the body go through the movements. Escape pods began flying off the ship, Duo releasing the mind of each inhabitant as they left.

He followed the captions mind as he made his way to the escape pod. His ship was hit buy Duo's earlier commands, it rocked throwing the man to the floor. Duo's command drove him to continue. It was like a story as Duo watched the captions mind make it to the last escape pod just in time. Duo darted forward and cut the engines of the escape pod off and simultaneously giving the inhabitance back both their life and command of their bodies.

Mission accomplished Q!Duo cheerfully sung in Quatre's head. His monitor showed the ships quickly retreating. Duo grinned as he wrote simple illusion glifs in the space in front of him and then pushed them forward. With a pop, they formed into a shinny grey and ghostly blue cloud that quickly morphed into a round smiling ghost and chased the retreating ships.

Quatre

Duo, don't waist you energy!Quatre's voice was panicked.

It didn't take much, it's just a harmless illusion... kinda funny... you knowDuo started to ramble.

Heero is fighting Cassandra and he is not...Quatre didn't get to finish his thought as his attention was pulled toward the sun as the glifs covering began to swell and the bleed out their energy into the ones covering the planets.

We can't be too late! I'm on my wayDuo yelled into Quatre's mind.

"All remaining vessels, get out of fire range of the planets, but hold a defensive position incase there is a second strike. Don't come near no matter what you see," Quatre ordered. Confirmations came from the remaining ships as Duo sped past Quatre.

Gundams to me... we must stop CassandraQuatre cried as he turned his battered Gundam toward the sun and hit the engines as hard as possible.

Every moment that Quatre wasted, the blood colored energy further stained the glifs on his, all the systems planet. His Gundam seemed to slow down, as the images of his fellow Gundams and Beta slowly came closer.

Beta was a wreck, the paint on the outside was burned off completely and chunks of it were missing. There was no way the small shuttle could still sustain life. Wing was in no better shape, although the cockpit was still in tact.

Heero?Quatre questioned, he needed the reassurance of Heero's voice that he was alive.

IntactHeero dead panned.

Cassandra, is she alive? How can we stop the glifs?Quatre asked in the same moment.

Alive, glifs unstoppableHeero dead panned. Quatre paled and slumped, the blood read started to take over his vision. But he didn't give up. Despite Heero's words no living creature could have stayed alive in Beta.

No there has to be a way!Quatre angrily said, he raised his head to the monitor again and started to fly toward the sun, everyone but Heero following his example.

Hold up Q, I see somethingDuo mind voice also sent the direction he was looking and without stopping his race against time changed his monitor to the direction Duo was looking. It looked like there was a floating body in space. Quatre zoomed in and gasped as smoldering fully opened green eyes seemed to stair into his soul.

Quatre turned off the screen, panting and gasping for air; his mind grasping for anything solid to function. Cassandra was floating in space... she had to have just had her eyes opened when she died, that's the only way...

Quatre's eyes winded and his breath caught in his throat as the tingling of Heero and Cassandra's communication filled the back of him mind. Automatically his hands clicked the screen back on.

Cassandra tattoo covered naked form was splayed, her finger tips and toes reached for the glifs of each planet, her head and long hair grasping for the last. The fully activated blood red glifs reached out in return, circling her seemingly tiny form in a ball of semi translucent shimmering magic.

Cassandra's cold eyes slowly focused on Quatre, and a small unpracticed smile tugged at the corners of her mouth before her head turned toward Heero's Gundam. The smallest bit of tingling brushed the back of Quatre's mind before the ball suddenly collapsed, shrinking until it disappeared from sight, Cassandra with it.

Quatre felt the breath he didn't know he was holding out and moved to change his screen...

Brace for impactHeero's voice rang through Quatre's head as a magical wind suddenly gusted out of the spot the ball had disappeared into. Quatre grabbed a hold of his chair as it hit. The physical shock wave slightly rocked his Gundam as the mental shock wave decimated all magic in its path - destroying the magical lines that connected the physical and the mental.

Quatre couldn't even feel his mouth open for a silent scream as his world went black.

mtc

Sorry it took me so long to update... won't make excuses. Thanks for everyone that reviewed and emailed!


	19. End Game

Companions of a Kind – End Game

_Captions Log Star Date 78635 – _

_With the battle over, repairs have become the first priority. Star fleet lost half its ships the Enterprise herself will orbit 03 as it is called for the next week until her warpdrive is fixed and several hall breaches are patched. _

_Treize's fleet made it out with the least harm, although he still lost a third of his ships. Zech's fleet is almost demolished, his main ship was towed away several days ago being exhorted by his three remaining ships. I believe that Zech's and White Fang will disappear for the time being. Despite Zech's help, his crimes are not fully forgiven. Relena, after several days of deliberation, has decided to travel with her brother to try and help him with the legal system._

_The Mage's ship was untouched and the Mages have returned to it. The smaller ship, Beta, was so badly damaged that it was turned into scrap metal. Their Gundams are in worse shape than all but Zech's main ship._

_The leader of our attackers made a deal with some one they had never seen or heard. With the promise that if they won they would be able to enslave a powerful people to do their bidding. The rumor has spread and this area will not remain peaceful as long as the Mages appear weak. The Federation has written up a peace treaty that should be mutually beneficial and the mages will hopefully sign._

_Cassandra's magical burst, as far as I can understand it, left the planets and their occupants severed from their magical source – they are unable to use their magic. This has impacted their lives negatively. Food and water were lost on the various planets and even houses were destroyed, although to be honest I don't understand it. The mages have been working tirelessly, using one of our shuttles sense theirs is destroyed. _

_The Mages themselves are physically battered but nothing serious is broken… at least not that our medical teams can find._

Picard closed his eyes, unsure of what else to say. He was saved from his decision as the door to his office squiggled.

"Come in," Picard stated. Heero's stoic face silently moved into the room, his staff in its holder on his back. A shallow cut on his face was scabbed over, and half hidden by his unruly hair. His face was blank as he stood in front of Picard's desk. Without waiting for an invitation he began to speak.

"All of the planets are starting to function normally, the mind magic disconnection is slowly returning as it is with us," Heero stated.

"What are the conditions of your fellow Mages?" Picard asked carefully.

"Duo's powers are slowly returning, he has begun working on the Gundams," Heero's voice deadpanned. "Trowa's powers are more quickly returning and he is also working on the Gundams. Wufei's powers are still gone, but the paths are realigned. He is returning to 01 again in hopes of trading for some food to spread amongst the other planets."

"And Quatre?" Picard asked. Quatre was conscious now, although he had only come to in the last few days. Wufei had explained that Quatre's telepathy had been overwhelmed and his brain had shut off… how deep Wufei didn't know.

"He ate this morning and enquired about 03. We can feel no power in him and his staff is dull. Wufei has faith that he will heal," Heero answered, his voice steady as a rock.

"I see, keep me informed," Picard answered. Heero gave a stiff nod and walked back out the doors. Picard put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes with his palms.

They had won the battle… but hard times were left in their future.

Quatre

Quatre jumped as the doors to his room opened. His eyes teared up at the sight of Heero and he turned his head, angrily washing them away.

"Status?" Heero dead panned. Quatre rolled his eyes, but the tears had stopped trying to come at Heero's insensitive familiar question.

"I'm doing better than I was," Quatre stretched his arms and shakily stood. "My Empathy has not returned but I can feel my magic tingling at the edges of my mind. I'm sure once my strength has returned and I can put up my barriers than my Empathy will come back," Quatre started to cry again as the reminder of his lost Empathy. He had relied on it so much that it being gone was like some one had pulled out his heart.

"Don't think about it," Heero deadpanned. Quatre wiped his eyes and nodded. He stretched his legs and tried to think of how to phrase his next question.

"Heero," Quatre started. He hesitated, he was angry at Cassandra. Angry at the situation she had placed the planets in. They were going on the third day without magic. His mind went back to when he first had woken up.

"_Trowa she knew she was going to do it! How could she!" Quatre almost screamed. Trowa's eyes searched Quatre's angry ones._

"_I don't understand Cassandra, I can't answer your question," Trowa quietly said as he moved over and sat down net to Quatre._

"_There have to be answer! People are dying!" Quatre turning his anger on Trowa. His hands came down as if to bead to Trowa's chest but Trowa grabbed them before they could hit. Quatre's angry liquid eyes looked up at Trowa's calm emerald green._

"_I know you feel lost with the loss of your powers," Trowa started. Quatre's eye lit with defensive power but his body slumped… Trowa was completely right. He couldn't feel others, he couldn't check to see if they were ok, and he couldn't understand what anyone was thinking. _

" _But did you ever think," Trowa continued, his arms wrapped around Quatre in a comforting hug, " that no matter how terrible Cassandra's actions maybe the result was needed for us to function in this new universe?"_

_Quatre could feel the anger begin to boil inside of him again but forced it back forced himself not to think at all. He melted into Trowa's arms, saddened once again at the lack of intimacy felt in the moment. Trowa might as well have been a warm blanket for all the emotions Quatre could feel._

_Tears began to trickle out the corners of his eyes. Anger ripped his hand from its resting place so that he could rub the tears away but his hand was once again stopped. Quatre turned and his eyes locked with Trowa's. Trowa leaned in close and softly took hold of Quatre's lips._

Quatre bent over and touched the ground, stretching the last muscle in his legs. Quatre didn't remember the last of the kiss; he had fallen asleep in Trowa's arms. Only later had he realized the meaning of that kiss.

"Heero… what did Cassandra say before she left?" For some reason this was the only question his still fragile mind was able to grasp. If he thought too hard about Cassandra he would get angry again.

"Time turns, its wheel never ending or beginning. Time changes, its games always giving and taking. Sayonara," Heero's voice was calm and dead as ever but Quatre could almost hear something in it. He cursed the lack of his empathy again.

"Did she explain anything?" Quatre questioned.

"Necessary," Heero dead panned.

Anger boiled in Quatre again. "She thought it was necessary to do this to all our people?"

"I don't know… but maybe this will be the spark that makes our people realize that it is not just them in the world. And despite our powerful magic we need to not seclude our selves but help those that are experiencing what we feel now." Heero's deadpanned. His hands were methodically running over the consul in Quatre's room; gathering information for god knew what.

Quatre sat down on the bed again, his pail face turned down toward the blank metal floor. Gold locks fell over his eyes and his mind fell deep into thought. Although he was surprised at Heero's long speech, he was drawn into the meaning of his words.

Trowa had kissed him because Trowa, with out empathy, had felt that Quatre needed to feel loved. Needed to feel emotion, be aware of his emotion despite his lost empathy.

Would the Mages as a race draw the same conclusions that Heero and Trowa were making? Would the loss of power make them realize both their own mortality and give them something in conmen with the rest of the beings in the universe.

Quatre looked up as Duo and Wufei's voice drifted through the opening door. Trowa's tall figure walked silently behind them.

"Wuffie, did they trade enough? How long are you gona stay? Hey… are you listening? Answer my quest…"

"Maxwell!" Wufei screamed, cutting Duo off. Only slightly calmer Wufei continued. "You will get your answers in a minute and if you keep bugging me I will use my sword."

Duo stuck his tongue out at Wufei and scampered behind Heero.

"01 traded the last of their emergency stores and with magic returning that is the last that will need to be traded. Quatre we need to decide our next course of action," Wufei explained.

Quatre looked around to see four pares of eyes meet his steadily. He didn't know where Cassandra had gone, although they were sure it was a dimensional shift. He didn't know what the full effects of the left over magic were, or even if the Mages powers would come back in full. But what had happened was not reversible. It was the future that mattered… what was it that Cassandra had said?

"Time turns, its wheel never ending or beginning. Time changes, its games always giving and taking," Heero's voice was quite but in the silent room it cut through to every ones ears.

Quatre smiled, a soft small smile filled with determination. The future was unknown. But the five of them were together, both in goal and body to see it.

End

Wow, that took me a while to finish. Thanks to everyone who gave me encouragement


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